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MBABANE – “We have been physically attacked.”
Man]ini $ssistant Master Makhosa]ane Mdluli made this revelation before the -udicial &ommission of InTuiry yes terday.
The commission is carrying out a probe into allegations of malpractice in the Office of the Master of the +igh &ourt.
The commissioners are -udge MaMahenkhaba 'lamini, who is the &hairperson, -udge Pres ident Sifiso 1sibande, -udge M]wandile Fakud]e, -udge Ma[ine Langwenya and -udge Lorraine +lophe.
Mdluli informed the commis sion that it happened during ne[t of kin meetings at the Master’s Office that fights broke out. She said they were e[posed to dan ger because they did not have security.
Locked
“We don’t have police officers at the Master’s Office. We have been physically attacked when a certain =wane family fought. $t the Master’s Office, you do not leave a key behind the door. They once locked in ($ssistant Master =ipho]onke Fakud]e and the individual put the key in his pocket. Families do fight. I was once attacked by seven men and the matter was reported in the newspapers. Working with files that involve men is difficult,´ said Mdluli.
She was e[plaining to the com mission that Sibongile Masuku and her stepdaughter Samkelisi we Masuku sometimes confront ed each other physically at the Master’s Office when they had been called.
Sibngile informed the commis sioners that some disputes were allegedly caused by the Mas ter’s Office. She said the master should investigate before acting.
“I would also have attacked you if I had means to do it,´ said Sibongile, whose husband died on -anuary , .
$ssistant Master Mdluli did not take kindly to Sibongile saying she could have also attacked the master’s officers.
Right
“Make Masuku is saying it is right for us to be attacked and she would have done the same.´
Sibongile apologised and al leged that the master’s officers did not treat her accordingly.
The &hairperson of the com mission, -udge MaMahenkhaba 'lamini, tried to calm the sit uation and said no one should attack the other.
The chairperson also men tioned that an effort should be made towards speeding up the process of winding up estates.
When Sibongile’s husband died, he was suffering from a mental illness and the former was the curator.
Mdluli said the estate was wound up and the distribution account approved on March
, .
The file had been opened on March , . She said her hus band, -abulani Masuku, owned two plots, one at Sikhunyane and another at Sterksroom, two cars, two permits for public transport vehicles and two bank accounts.
Sibongile and -abulani did not have children of their own. +owever, -abulani, according to Sibongile, had a son and daugh ter, and when he died, she went to court to compel them to undergo paternity tests. The children op posed the application.
Sour
Sibongile had told the com mission her relationship with Samkelisiwe became sour after she had filed the application. She said she did not have an issue with Samkelisiwe, who was staying with her father, -abulani.
She alleged that it was her attorneys who advised her to file the application in respect of both children. Mdluli told the commission that Sibongile had an issue with the son.
$ccording to Mdluli, on Octo ber , , Sibongile and Sam kelisiwe came to the Master’s Office and fought. “They became physical and Sibongile left.´
Mdluli said the children agreed that Sibongile should take one motor vehicle and she was sup posed to get half and share the other half with the children.
The assets she got, accord ing to the assistant master, was the Sikhunyane plot and it was agreed that she would continue to collect rentals of ( to cover a debt of to ( .