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Bodungwane settlers fight for their ancestral land

Bodungwane residents are battling the Kgatleng Land Board and others at High Court over what they describe as an unlawful eviction,. PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Bodungwane residents are battling the Kgatleng Land Board and others at High Court over what they describe as an unlawful eviction,. PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO

BODUNGWANE: Nestled between Dikgonnye, Kgomodiatshaba and Artesia, the quiet settlement of Bodungwane is gripped by uncertainty. For the nearly 300 residents spread across 41 homesteads, the fear is that the only home they have ever known could soon be taken away.

As 168 residents from here are battling the Kgatleng Land Board and others at High Court over what they describe as an unlawful eviction, the community has broken its silence, appealing to government, traditional leaders and the public to protect what they say is their ancestral home.

When Mmegi visited the settlement recently, residents walked the team through what they say is evidence of a community that has existed for generations. Amongst the sites shown to Mmegi were old family graves that residents explained belong to their ancestors who settled in the area more than a century ago. Some of the graves are marked only by stones while others have simple cement headstones, standing quietly amongst the thorn bushes that surround the settlement. However one stands out. It has a tombsrone and underneath rests former Artesia Councillor, Thonana Kegapilwe.

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Editor's Comment
Celebrate responsibly, put safety first this holiday

“Safety first is safety always”– Charles M HayesAs most people begin travelling across the country to spend the President’s Holidays with family and friends, there is every reason to embrace the joy and togetherness that this period brings.While holiday periods bring joy, they are sadly often accompanied by a rise in road accidents, violent incidents and other avoidable tragedies. Too often, families that set out to celebrate together end...

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