INLSA
In this file picture, ANC official Makhosi Khoza surveys her land at Hillcrest, which was invaded by Embo residents.
Kamini Padayachee
MAKHOSI Khoza, the ANC chief whip in the KwaZulu- Natal legislature, has secured an interim interdict preventing people from trespassing on her Hillcrest property and from threatening her.
Khoza applied for the interdict after residents of the neighbouring Embo community invaded her 6 000ha property and started to set up makeshift homes in November.
When the matter came before the high court on Monday, the case was adjourned to January and the interim interdict was extended to that date with costs reserved.
In November, the Embo residents said they were not building on Khoza’s land but on property that had been given to them by Durban doctor Hymie Herr in 1998.
They also claimed that Khoza’s property boundaries were not clearly demarcated.
In her affidavit, Khoza said the land invaders had moved on to her land, which was to be given to the Khabazela High School in Embo.
Khoza said she believed the invasion, coupled with threatening phone calls she had received, was related to the appointment of the city municipal manager. Khoza had been shortlisted for the position, which eventually went to former Msunduzi administrator Sibusiso Sithole. However, she withdrew her application after the invasion and alleged death threats.
“I am entitled to be protected from the intimidation and threats from the residents,” Khoza said.
She said the continued invasion would cause her conference centre and bed ’n’ breakfast business to suffer, and lead to the depreciation of her property’s value.
Embo residents’ spokes- man Sifiso Mhlongo said yesterday the community was aware of the interdict.
“We were told about the interdict. We (had already) decided to move off the land because officials from the municipality met with us and promised that the residents would get houses.”
However, municipal spokes-man Thabo Mofokeng said no houses had been promised to the Embo residents.
“Any housing project has to be approved through normal council processes,” he said.
