NDWEDWE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY
Invaders claim they bought farms from KZN headmen
Umdloti Farmers’ Association says their members have been systematically attacked over the past decade
Almost every day there is a land-grab incident in SA. But few have been as bold as the one taking place on several farms in Ndwedwe local municipality, about 80km north of Durban. The affected areas include Inanda, Tea Estate, Hazelmere, Redcliffe, New Glasgow, Umdloti, Nonoti, and the outskirts of Verulam and Ottawa. Until recently, these areas were mainly small-scale sugarcane farms, many of them owned by Indian families who have been living on and working the land since the 19th century. But seemingly well-heeled invaders have moved in, fenced off land and started building luxury homes and rondavels. They claim the land was sold to them by headmen of chief Mqoqi Ngcobo of the Amaqadi Tribal Authority. The Amaqadi clan claims the farms were developed on ancestral land that was forcibly taken from them by the British colonial and apartheid regimes and sold to the Indian farmers. They say their land claims to these farms and surrounding areas have been delayed by "lazy government of...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.