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In sharp contrast, on the other side is a developed area.

“We will not rest until we get the title deeds”

 

They were among the first to have businesses in Sibasa, but their area looks like a long-forgotten slum in the fast-growing town.

Some of the businesses are more than 50 years old, but they are still housed in the old buildings they used to be. For many years the occupants of the buildings have been struggling to get the title deeds to their sites. They have tried everything in the book to have their properties legalised through the right channels, but they have been sent from pillar to post, with no success.

Recently, the aggrieved businesspeople, known as the Sibasa Business Pioneers, met to chart the way forward. The members of the group are veteran shopkeepers Radzhadzhi Mukwevho of Mukeguluni Restaurant and Butchery, Solomon Badugela of Sibasa Barber Shop, Alice Muthige and George Madima of Sibasa Bicycle Shop and Nehemiah Lukoto of Lukoto Bus Service.

“We have been in this struggle for quite a long time, starting during the time of the old regime. When the new dispensation came into power, we thought our woes would be history and that we would get our own title deeds. This was not to be as we are still struggling and suffering, even in the era of a government that we have voted for,” said George Madima, the spokesperson of the group.

He said they had been to the municipality quite a number of times, but all the time the municipality has not given them a fair hearing. "We are very hurt, because we were the first black businessmen to start businesses in this town, but our businesses are not growing as we could not develop the area without title deeds."

He added that on the other side of the road, it was a different story altogether. “Indian businesspeople who arrived yesterday have been granted title deeds, but we are still struggling to get them.”

He said the last straw was when people from the municipality came and started demarcating their sites without even informing them. “We chased them away, because we suspected that they wanted to sell our properties while we occupy them. There is a rumour that our area has been sold to rich Indian businesspeople by corrupt municipality officials,” said Madima.

According to him, the provincial land claims office was not able to assist, “saying that we have not been moved from our area as we still occupy our sites.”

They have also appointed lawyers to assist, but are still without any answer. “We do not know what to do and where to go now as no one seems prepared to listen to us,” said Solomon Badugela.

Thulamela municipal spokesperson Nndwamato Tshiila said the said sites had been paid for by the former Venda government. "The area was earmarked for development and people received compensation, but they did not move. We have been in constant engagement with the parties, but we have not been able to reach consensus.”

News - Date: 22 August 2014

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Theirs is a slum with buildings more than 50 years old. They have plans to develop the area, but do not have title deeds.
 

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Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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