SIPHOCOSINI: The Land Management Board has directed people who were allocated land or had started building near cattle dip tanks at Siphocosini Umphakatsi to stop all construction with immediate effect.
The directive was issued during a community engagement meeting led by LMB Chairperson Petros Mavimbela.
The meeting was called to address concerns over land allocation, particularly the encroachment of communal grazing areas, known as emadlelweni, and the effect on livestock farming.
Cattle owners told the Board that uncontrolled land allocation was reducing available grazing land and threatening the sustainability of livestock production.
They also raised concerns about the future of a cattle dip tank in the area. The facility could be closed by the Ministry of Agriculture because surrounding developments have made its operation difficult and unsafe.
The Board said the construction halt would give relevant authorities time to assess the affected areas, establish how the allocations were made and ensure that access to the dip tanks was not blocked.
The engagement is also intended to help authorities balance the demand for residential land with the need to protect communal grazing areas and livestock infrastructure.
The LMB is gathering information from community members and other stakeholders as part of its assessment of the land allocation process.
The Board is a constitutional body responsible for overseeing land allocation on Eswatini Nation Land, investigating disputes and supporting sustainable land use in cooperation with traditional authorities and government institutions.
The Board said protecting dip tanks and communal grazing land was necessary to support livestock farming while a sustainable land use solution was being developed.
Residents were encouraged to participate openly in the process so that the dispute could be addressed fairly and in a manner that supports both community development and livestock production.
Leave a comment