‘They Showed No Respect’: Clash of Power Erupts in Tzaneen After Court-Ordered Demolitions

‘They Showed No Respect’: Clash of Power Erupts in Tzaneen After Court-Ordered Demolitions

The dust has settled in Mokgolobotho village outside Tzaneen, but the anger and disbelief are still thick in the air. Piles of rubble and twisted roofing tin are all that remain of more than 60 houses and 30 shacks, demolished in a sweeping operation that has ignited a deep conflict between modern governance and ancient tradition.

At the heart of the dispute is a fundamental question: who truly controls the land?

A Community Left in Ruins

For residents, the demolition was a brutal and unexpected blow. One woman, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal, described the moment her family’s new beginning was destroyed.

“We bought the stand from the local traditional council, and they assured us everything was in order,” she said, her voice heavy with frustration. “We had just finished building my mother’s two-room house. She was supposed to move in very soon. Then, without warning, it was gone.”

This story echoes across the community. Families who invested their life savings into what they believed was a legally acquired piece of land are now homeless and desperate for answers.

The Traditional Authority: ‘Custodians of the Land’

For Chief Mogale Mokgolobotho and cultural experts, the municipality’s actions are a profound sign of disrespect. The Chief insists that Mokgolobotho is a legitimate Section 42D restitution settlement, with over 1,300 verified beneficiaries across 344 households, approved by a government minister. His lawyers are now preparing to go to court to force the municipality to rebuild what was destroyed.

Herold Lekhuleni from the Oral History Association of South Africa framed the conflict in historical terms. “From time immemorial, traditional leaders have been the custodians of the land. They were the government of the people,” Lekhuleni argued. “The municipality came into being around 1996, while traditional leaders were always there, allocating land even during the dark days of apartheid.”

He contends that regardless of the legal justification, the municipality should have sought a negotiated solution rather than resorting to the bulldozer.

The Municipality’s Defense: We Were Following a Court Order

The Greater Tzaneen Municipality, however, states it had no choice. Spokesperson Neville Ndlala provided a detailed timeline of a lengthy legal battle, arguing that the demolition was the final step in a process that spanned years, not days.

According to Ndlala, the municipality first obtained an interim court order in December 2022. After opposition from Chief Mokgolobotho, a final order was granted in June 2025. The Chief then secured a last-minute interdict in August, but it was dismissed with costs just days later on August 29, “clearing all legal hurdles.”

“We sympathise with those affected,” Ndlala stated, “but it is important to emphasise that repeated warnings were issued prior to any construction or occupation.”

A Collision of Two Systems

This situation highlights a recurring tension in post-apartheid South Africa: the complex and often contradictory relationship between democratically elected municipalities and constitutionally recognized traditional leadership structures. Residents are caught in the middle, trusting the traditional authority they know, only to find their homes violated by an order from a distant high court.

For now, the rubble in Mokgolobotho stands as a stark monument to this unresolved conflict. As Chief Mokgolobotho prepares for a legal counter-offensive, the affected families are left to pick up the pieces, their futures uncertain in a battle over who has the right to call the shots on the ground they call home.