Tensions escalated in Bizana as members of the Izinini Communal Property Association (CPA) joined Thembalihle CPA in a mass protest demanding the return of their land and accountability from local authorities. The protest, marked by emotional speeches and a petition, was the latest in a series of community-led actions against what residents call decades of neglect, land dispossession, and corruption.
Mr. Onke Nkomo, secretary of Izinini CPA, publicly accused Mr. Memela—linked to both CPAs—of vanishing after promising a settlement agreement regarding Izinini’s 1,279 hectares of land. Nkomo revealed that in 2019, 48 hectares were allegedly taken without proper authorization. He questioned the legitimacy of the meeting that approved the sale and said Memela claimed it was a language misunderstanding.
“We are here to give support to Thembalihle CPA,” said Nkomo. “People from outside are being hired while landowners in Zininini and Ntshamathe are excluded. Hiring seems to favour those with the surname Madikizela, but others like Ndunge and Sontsele are left out. This needs to be corrected.”
The protest also highlighted broader frustrations. Mr. Bhele, a member of the local Ratepayers Association, warned that outsiders bring not only economic displacement but also social decay.
“The town is filling with drugs and crime. Our people want their own mall, their own public hospital. The municipality must stop treating residents like enemies,” Bhele stated.
In a petition titled “Bizana Shutdown Protest Against Land Invasion (We Are Fighting Corruption),” Xolile Sontsele listed key grievances:
- R41 million allegedly unaccounted for in payment funds.
- R89 million suspected to have been misappropriated by the municipality.
- Illegal land transfers to companies like Eskom, Bargain, Spar, and Browns.
- Unlawful rubble dumping on CPA land.
- Blocked road access to Mhlanga by Bargain Wholesalers.
- Delays in title deed issuance by the Department of Land Affairs.
- Sewerage pollution from Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Regional Hospital.
Mr. Mgedezi, Head of the Department of Provincial Land Affairs, signed the petition and promised formal submission.
Chairperson Mzingiso Sontsele stated the community gave Minister Mzwandile Nyosho five days to respond. “We’ve waited 30 years. We won’t wait quietly,” he warned, thanking Izinini CPA and others for standing in solidarity.
