Benfarm and Majeje villagers living on the outskirts of Phalaborwa once again blocked off sections of the R71 provincial road in protest. This time the disgruntled villagers took to the streets on Wednesday, the 16th of February, not in protest against their dysfunctional municipality, but against their chief, Mlungisi Ntsangwisi.
According to the residents of these villages, they will block off sections of the R71 until Ntsangwisi makes an appearance and addresses the community.
According to one resident, the communities were upset over the fact that nobody had yet met or even seen the tribal chief who does not reside in the Phalaborwa area, and despite this, he was taking decisions that affected the community.
The chief is accused of making these drastic decisions without meeting the community or consulting with them on the matters that affect them directly.
“We have just found out that there will be a clinic built, but it will be built in Prisca and the tribal offices will be moved there too,” said a resident at the protest.
“How can they move the tribal offices without consulting us, the residents and owners of this tribal office first. We have never even met the royal family, so we want to meet them, and we will keep this place closed until the king himself comes from wherever he is to address.”
Another resident, Andrew Ngobeni, said that their main problem was that the chief does not reside with his people and there is money meant for the community which the community does not receive. He said that Mashishimale have their own tribal authority which takes care of them.
The community have now warned that should the government continue with their plan of building the tribal office at Prisca, they will barricade the R71 road indefinitely. This is a developing story and Bulletin will update accordingly.
