Botshabelo\u2019s historical stone church, with original stained glass panels, yellow-wood chairs, pulpit and stone baptismal font, is busy imploding.<\/p>\n
A back wall of the church has already crumbled with signs of more destruction evident throughout the church, built in 1868.<\/p>\n
The unholy mess on arguably Middelburg\u2019s holiest site, was borne from a land claim.<\/p>\n
The church, like Botshabelo, was a sanctuary for late 1800 Christian converts – from there its name, \u201cPlace of Refuge\u201d was born.<\/p>\n
Botshabelo, which was handed over to 1000 families in a land claim in 2005, are in dire straits with no prospects for salvation.<\/p>\n
The historical village also comprised a general dealership, large mill, bookbindery, blacksmith and school, with the original buildings in tact until 2005.<\/p>\n
As a result of the land claim the village\u2019s historical buildings have systematically been vandalised and burgled, while funds totalling millions, from among others the National Lottery, has simply vanished.<\/p>\n
The maladministration resulted in an order of the High Court, disbanding the board of Botshabelo trustees, rendering the Place of Refuge without any proper management structures for the past two years..<\/p>\n
Not even a single Velvet Monkey can be found on the thriving game reserve, once overrun by Blesbuck, Klipspringer, Oribi, Springbok, Eland, Zebras and Black Wildebeest.<\/p>\n
Fort Merensky curator, Mr Arthur Barlow, believes the land claim should never have been awarded, prompting him to engage with the Public Protector, to investigate whether the Land Claims Commission caved under political pressure in awarding the claim.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe matter regarding ownership of Botshabelo has been dealt with by the Supreme Court in 1905, when the Berlin Mission Society’s ownership was upheld – Source: History of the Berlin Mission Society 1824 \u2013 1924 by Julius Richter (Berlin 1925),\u201d Mr Barlow says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe awarding of the land claim is nothing less than contempt of a court order, a ruling against which the Botshabelo Development Trust or Land Claims Commission first had to appeal, and successfully overturn,\u201d Mr Barlow argues.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe restitution epitomises Botshabelo as South Africa’s most notable land claim disaster, and its demise is a crime against democracy and the country, as well as international stakeholders like Dr Klaus Merensky, whose legitimate claim on Botshabelo was simply ignored by the Land Claims Commission\u201d Mr Barlow fumes.<\/p>\n
He also accuses the office of the Public Protector of being politically biased – \u201cThe Public Protector\u2019s office issued a report explaining why they would not investigate the Botshabelo land claim any further. I\u2019m however relieved to say, that the report has been formally retracted, and the investigation relaunched,\u201d Mr Barlow says.<\/p>\n
The Public Protector’s flawed findings hinged on the fact that the land claim was Gazetted and therefore above board. The Public Protector however failed to investigate whether the claim was lodged fraudulently, with the assistance of former Mpumalanga Premier, Mr Thabang Makwetla.<\/p>\n
Former Premier and current Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr Makwetla, is one of the restitution owners of the heritage site. The Botshabelo land claim was awarded during his Premiership.<\/p>\n
Read previous stories:<\/p>\n
Outrage at Botshabelo mining plans<\/a><\/p>\n