Mbabane – A long-running land dispute at KaNcesi in the Ekuvinjelweni Chiefdom ended in the demolition of a two-bedroom house on Friday after the High Court ruled it had been built illegally on private farmland.
The Sheriff, supported by police officers, executed the court order early in the morning, using a tractor-loader-backhoe to bring down the structure, which was estimated to be worth over E500,000.
The property owner, Bonkhe Shabangu, said he had been living there for the past five years, having been allocated the land by the local umphakatsi. Shabangu claimed he was unaware of the demolition and only learnt about it once the house was already being taken down.
“I was shocked to be called back home to find my house reduced to rubble. I didn’t expect this to happen,” he said.
A source close to the matter revealed that Shabangu had received several summons before the court granted the eviction and demolition order.
Police officers maintained a presence during the operation to prevent disturbances and ensure the demolition went ahead without incident.
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