EZULWINI CHIEF ACCUSED OF LAND GRABBING FROM THE POOR IN KING’S NAME
Chief Sifiso Mashampu Khumalo, who also serves as Eswatini’s Attorney General, has once again been accused of forcibly taking land from poor families in Ezulwini, including widows, orphans, and vulnerable children (OVCs). The allegations suggest that the Chief, acting through his Libandla (Traditional Council), has been targeting residents near Somnjalose High School, demanding land under the pretext that it is for King Mswati.
Reports from residents indicate that families wishing to construct rental flats or establish businesses on their land are being forced to pay over R20,000 to proceed. In some cases, land is simply confiscated with claims that it is required by the King. “Members of the Chief’s Libandla are visiting various poor homes, grabbing the land. They alleged that the land is wanted by the King,” said one resident who spoke to Swaziland News.
When asked for clarification on whether King Mswati is involved in these land grabs, the King’s Spokesperson, Percy Simelane, denied the allegations. “The King does not operate like that. He does not send those who are capable of it to make his people lose their land illegally. If the land loss in question is illegal, then we have no reason to believe the King is involved,” Simelane stated.
Despite these assurances, critics argue that land grabbing under the guise of royal authority is widespread within Eswatini, particularly under the Tinkhundla system of governance. Brian Sangweni, Spokesperson for the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), condemned the practice, describing it as systematic exploitation carried out by traditional authorities. “This is a long-standing attitude of many traditional authorities under the Tinkhundla system. Land grabbing from the poor, including children and widows, is happening almost countrywide,” Sangweni said.
The PUDEMO Spokesperson highlighted the lack of recourse for those who lose their land, explaining that both traditional and formal courts are often controlled by the same authorities responsible for these violations. “Even if you try to lodge complaints to the King, you’ll find people like Khumalo controlling access to that,” Sangweni remarked.
Sangweni further described the land grabbing as part of a well-organized scheme that exploits vulnerable citizens. He emphasized that only a total transformation of Eswatini’s governance system could address these issues. Under a PUDEMO-led government, he said, land ownership would be democratized and managed by a central government to benefit all citizens. “Under PUDEMO-led government, land will be controlled by the democratic central government for the benefit of all people, who will access it in accordance with a universal and impersonal procedure that will reflect the people’s will. Their right to ownership will be guaranteed under the law,” Sangweni stated.
This latest controversy adds to the growing discontent among Swazis over the management of land and the abuse of traditional authority. For many, land is not just a resource but a source of livelihood, identity, and stability. The loss of land due to arbitrary and coercive practices leaves families devastated and further entrenches inequality in the country.
As accusations against Chief Khumalo mount, residents are calling for accountability and transparency in land governance. However, with traditional authorities holding significant sway over both legal and administrative systems, the path to justice remains fraught with challenges.
The issue of land grabbing reflects the broader failures of the Tinkhundla system, where power is concentrated among a select few at the expense of ordinary citizens. For critics like PUDEMO, the fight for land justice is intertwined with the larger struggle for democracy and human rights in Eswatini. As these injustices continue, calls for systemic reform are growing louder, with many Swazis demanding a governance system that prioritizes the rights and needs of the people over the interests of the elite.
