2010 stadium land 'sold for R1'

2007-10-22 21:22

Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane

Nelspruit - The Matsafeni community in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, are taking their board of trustees to court for selling their land to the Mbombela municipality for only R1.

The 2010 Fifa World Cup stadium is currently being built on it.

About 750 households say they have been used and betrayed by the board they entrusted with administering the land.

"All we heard was that a deal had been signed, but no one consulted with us. And it turns out our ancestral land was sold for only R1," said Matsafeni community co-ordinator, Vuyisile Mdluli, on Monday.

He said many of the original 1 250 households, namely the 750 households he represents as well as others, had been removed from the beneficiary list only after the land was handed over on December 13, 2003.

Now the community has hired renowned human rights lawyer Richard Spoor to represent them in taking the board of trustees to the Pretoria High Court.

"We are busy finalising an application to dissolve the board of trustees because they have failed in their duty to make sure the community benefited from the claim," Mdluli said.

He said they wanted an interim trustee to be appointed for a period of three months to get matters in order.

He said the "donation" or sale of land to the municipality was a farce that the community was rejecting as it did not address their needs, but only enriched the board.

Community 'bitter, jealous'

Chairperson of the board, Jerry Mdluli, confirmed on Monday that the board had received a letter notifying them of the decision to take them to court.

He dismissed the community as bitter people who were jealous of the "real beneficiaries" of the land claim.

"It's not for me to interpret the verification process. Those who were kicked out just aren't rightful beneficiaries. They should let the real Mdlulis have their land," he said.

He said the verification process had only been completed three months ago. As a result, no annual general meetings have been held to present financial records or discuss matters like the sale of the land.

"We have the financial records and all the necessary documentation. At the right time we will show them to the rightful beneficiaries of the land," said Jerry Mdluli. Spoor was not available for comment on Monday as he was in consultation with his clients.

- African Eye