/ 5 May 1999

THE LAND COMMANDMENTS

A NORTHERN Province community of has been offered full ownership of the 10km chunk of land they have lived on for the past 120-years — but only if they agree to ban bottle stores and respect the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. They will also have to agree never to build any other places of worship to churches other than the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The church owns Valdezia Mambedi village and all surrounding land after its affiliated Swiss Mission established a haven in the area in 1875 for abused or escaped farm labourers and other refugees from encroaching white settlers. Community chairman of the 7000 village residents, Sipho Masuka, said on Tuesday the community is eager to accept ownership but feels the Church’s preconditions are “dogmatic and undemocratic”.