Major development STALLED by land claim

A MULTI-MILLION rand housing project in Ngwelezana has been brought to a halt after land claim disputes allegedly led to a murder, an abduction and ongoing legal disputes.

In 2012, a KZN developer earmarked land in Imbali Village for an affordable housing development.

During its fourth phase, in April, the project was stopped, reportedly by the local tribal authority which claimed the land belonged to them and was part of the Ingonyama Trust.

Thus far, around 300 homes have been built, and 86 houses were in the process of being constructed in the fourth phase.

A source who bought into the development told the ZO that the construction was abandoned and 45 construction workers were forced to down tools after a series of violent events unfolded.

This came as 56 people were in the process of finalising bonds and transfers, costing them thousands of rands.

Shortly after the land claim was made, the tribal authority allegedly threatened violence if construction continued.

Weeks after the threats, the night guards were reportedly abducted from the construction site and held captive while one house was set alight.

Shortly after, a group of men entered the construction site at 7am one April morning, forced the foreman Dirkwe Richmore (54) into his car and shot him four times, execution-style, in front of 45 construction workers.

'People were so scared they refused to continue with the construction, and the sad part was that around R20-million stands to be lost.

'This was money already spent on bulk services, road levies, tax and a partiallybuilt tar road,' said the source.

'The dispute has had a ripple effect because of the fact that the land has been claimed as tribal, and the people who bought into this development, as well as the developer, will have to suffer the consequences.'

According to the source, banks and attorneys had to step in to stop the transfer process of the 56 people who bought into the last phase of the development.

Although a court interdict was handed to the tribal authority, the pleas fell on deaf ears. The development has reportedly since been abandoned.

'This creates a poor reputation for people who want to invest in our area. Not only that, but since the tribal authority has taken over the land, plots are being sold for around R30 000 - R40 000 and will most likely be developed into informal settlements. This will decrease the land value for those who bought into the development.'

Police confirmed with the ZO that Richmore's case is still under investigation.