By Zweli Martin Dlamini

MALINDZA: Samson Mgwaze Tsabedze(84), the senior member of the Malindza royal kraal said the residents who are being evicted by Mafutseni traditional authorities went through all the necessary procedures of acquiring land through Swazi Law and Custom with the Malindza Umphakatsi.

Speaking to this Swaziland News on Thursday, the Malindza senior royal kraal member said they were surprised to learn that some of the residents of Malindza were being forcefully evicted by Mafutseni traditional authorities to give way for a project without consulting them.

“The whole chiefdom of Malindza is very angry about this and they want to fight for the evicted residents but we are calming them down pending a meeting with the King on this issue. You don’t just evict people as if they are residing in your farm, even if it was a farm, any person who evict residents should make sure their lives are far better in their new settlements” said the senior Malindza Royal Kraal member.

Tsabedze consistently maintained that as the people of Malindza, they will fight to protect the new residents who are being evicted because they acquired the land legally through Swazi Law and Custom.

It is alleged that Chief Mdlaka Gamedze, the Chairman of the Ludzidzini Royal Council and other members informed the resident to vacate the area to give way for a project.

Reached for comments earlier by this publication, Chief Mdlaka Gamedze, the Chairman of the Ludzidzini Council first asked this journalist what did the residents said before responding.

"What did the residents told you Dlamini?" he asked to which this journalist responded that the residents were complaining the they were being evicted after acquiring the land through the Malindza royal kraal.

"May I not comment for now Dlamini, the residents must tell you the truth what really happened(Asebayikhulume kahle)" said the Ludzidzini Council Chairman.

Duncan Mthembu, a resident of the area who acquired a piece of land through the Malindza royal kraal and subsequently confronted by the Mafutseni authorities confirmed that Chief Mdlaka Gamedze arrived with the King’s Ludzidzini Council to inform them to vacate the land.

“We were told that the land belongs to the King and that we must vacate the area to give way for a Princess‘ project.We were actually surprised when Prince Masitsela who is part of the Council that came here to evict us told the Nation that as royalty, they were appointed by God to rule this country, considering the way the  they are treating us, where do we go from here now?” said the resident who built a house worth millions after legally acquiring the land through the kukhonta  custom.