Pretoria – The pre-trial case of 11 fraud suspects arrested in a land dispute involving Limpopo Blue Dot Properties was postponed once more yesterday after lawyers withdrew from representing them.
The 11 members of the Morena Seaka View Home Owners’ Association are accused of illegally selling portion 41 of the privately-owned farm to unsuspecting buyers in Mamahule, Dalmada, outside Polokwane.
They are facing charges of fraud amounting to about R3.8 million, and were arrested in 2020.
The court case has since been postponed a dozen times, this time to February 22.
The land belongs to Blue Dot Properties, which has since obtained two court orders to declare the occupation as illegal and for the residents to vacate the area.
The suspects include the association’s leader, Francinah Sebati, and seven members of the Mojapelo clan – Phinius, Botani, Jackson, Kgasago, Jack, Mabel and David. The other accused are Malisela Tladi, Neri Ranketela and William Maphanga.
In November 2020, magistrate Janine Ungerer granted them R3 500 bail each when they appeared before the Polokwane Magistrate’s Court.
Blue Dot spokesperson Ike Kekana said the case would only resume when the accused had found new representation.
The land, which is situated on the R71 provincial freeway between Polokwane and Tzaneen, has been surrounded by controversy for years after the traditional officials started selling the land off to residents.
Last year three people were shot and wounded and a house burnt down during a land dispute in that area.
The Mojapelo clan, which claimed that the land belonged to them, lodged a land claim in 1996. However, this has not yet been finalised because of infighting among various clans.
“Portion 41 Kaalfontein 100 LS is legally owned by Blue Dot. People illegally sold stands there and occupied the farm illegally ,hence a case of fraud has been opened with the police,” the State said.
Pretoria News