VALDEZIA – "People who buy farms must start farming with the right things, because human farming is illegal," said Mr Sipho Masuka, retaliating to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church branch of Valdezia, which opened a charge of trespassing and intimidation against him last Sunday.

The EPCSA Church of Valdezia said that the Ward 21 Councillor in the Makhado Municipality, Mr Sipho Masuka, invaded their congregation on Sunday, September 6, and intimidated them while they were conducting their service. "I went to the church to worship the Almighty, but to my surprise the EPCSA members called the Waterval SAPS, accusing him of intimidation, he said.

The church is also accusing Masuka of setting blue gum trees alight. According to them, the trees are the property of the church.

On behalf of the church, Mr CD Marivate, chairman of the sub-committee of the church concerned with buildings, said in Valdezia that the church has more power than everybody else. He added that in the past, Masuka just cut blue gum trees without notifying the EPCSA. According to Mr Marivate, Creux and Berthoud bought Valdezia in 1875 and renamed it Valdezia after their homeland Vaud.

He further stated that, at a meeting held at Elim in 1996, the then Northern Province Constitutional Affairs Department decided that the church must donate residential sites at Valdezia-Klipfontein farm, which is the church's property, to the Government. The Government will in turn, donate such sites to the residents and grant loans and subsidies.

However, he did not deny allegations made by Masuka that his congregation dictates that unoccupied land including nature reserves, blue gum plantations, and agricultural land along the Levubu River is regarded as church property.

Masuka stressed that the church must disengage itself from deciding the issues of the Valdezia community, who according to him, have been oppressed for more than 125 years. Mirror also learnt that no church sites would be granted to other church denominations and no bottle store sites would be granted. In addition, the community is said to have its local body with church members as representatives.

When asked to comment on the above-mentioned items, Marivate remarked that a resolution was taken by the church and the then Gazankulu Government that the church must control everything within the Valdezia farm and the Klipfontein residents also accepted the conditions.

"During the 1960s, the then government initiated a plan to translocate these residents, the main idea being that the area is surrounded by Whites, but the Church (EPCSA) in conjunction with the then Gazankulu Government objected to the matter", Marivate argued. He also added that the blue gum trees were meant to be cut down and sold so that the funds raised would be poured into the account of the Community Authority Council.

However, with Cllr Masuka charged with trespassing and intimidation, he also argues that some church members insulted him in a manner that does not suite Christians. He added that some even threatened to shoot him. He also opened a charge of intimidation against the EPSA. "All buildings they claim to be theirs (EPCSA), are now declared as the South African National Monuments," he said.

Masuka said he did not damage the church property as the church claims.

"I did not break anything at the church premises. I went to the church for religious devotion not to fight anybody else," Masuka said. Masuka's case was handed over to the MEC for Safety and Security and Liaison, Ms Dikeledi Magadzi, after church members claimed that the Waterval SAPS did not show any interest in cases that involved Mr Masuka.

Masuka is due to appear in court on November 12.

He also denied allegations by the EPCSA that he was responsible for setting alight blue gum trees, saying it was set alight by a veld fire.