Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Ludzidzini Council has been roped in to intervene in a land dispute between an elderly woman and her late son’s family. Reginah Masilela-nee Mlipha (82) has been involved in an ongoing land dispute with her son, Sibusiso Maziya, who passed away in December due to COVID-19 at age of 59. Maziya is alleged to have kicked her out of her matrimonial home and, the fight is reported to have been taken over his wife and children.
The council visited the homestead yesterday in the company of the Manzini Regional Administrator Chief Gija and the Zombodze Umphakatsi council.
Giving a brief summary yesterday, Gogo Mlipha said she together with her late husband underwent the kukhonta process for the home located at Boyane under the Zombodze Royal Kraal and Ludzeludze Inkhundla and were duly given the land by the umphakatsi.
She explained that Maziya was her son from a previous relationship.
“My son would come to visit us during school holiday and my late husband then decided that he comes and live with us because he did not want to be blamed for separating a mother and son, and he raised him as his own,” she said. She stated that Masilela further helped Maziya get a job at his place of employment at that time.
House “Maziya then within their home built his own house which he later shared with his own family,” she said. Meanwhile, Maziya’s wife Mkhetsile Mamba told the council that the home belonged to her husband, who kontaed for the land together with his mother. She said she arrived at the homestead in 1994 after having been tekaed at Gege, which is Mlipha’s maternal homestead.
“We then moved here to reside with my husband after our house had been completed. The construction was done with the help of my mother-in-law, who ensured that the material was used accordingly,” she said.
She added that before the completion of the house, she and Maziya resided at the company house where he worked. Chairman of the Ludzidzini Council Chief Mdlaka Gamedze explained that they came to the homestead following a report of a land dispute between gogo Mlipha and her late son. He said after reports that Mlipha had been kicked out of the homestead by her son and grandchildren, they decided to visit the homestead.
“Having heard all that as a council, we have seen it fit that we come and see the home that they are fighting over and get to the bottom of this matter. Gathered “We have seen where the first house built by gogo and the one built by her, son in the same vicinity. “What we have gathered is that the son was being helped by his mother to build his own house on this land,” he said.
The chief said having heard all the parties concerned, they would meet with the appropriate authorities to discuss the matter further. Asked on what steps the council would take to ensure Mlipha returned to her home as she was currently residing with her granddaughter, the chief said they were not in a position to make a decision now.
“We do not know how safe she would be if she returned home, so we advise against that until the matter has been discussed and finalised,” he said.
He added that they would deal with this matter with urgency, taking into consideration that Mlipha’s house was now unguarded, while that of his son’s family was being taken care of,” he said.
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