Land claim chief killed

02 April 2015 - 03:12 By Graeme Hosken

The tribal chief who wanted to take over half of Pretoria in a multibillion-rand land claim has been shot dead outside his lover's home. Chief Victor Lekhuleni, who was claiming 25000ha of Pretoria for his tribe, the Mhwaduba of the Bakgatla ba Lekhuleni, was killed in Mamelodi West on Tuesday night.The land being claimed stretches from Cullinan, east of Pretoria, to Moot, and from Kameeldrift in the north to The Willows in the south.The land, which is said to be worth billions, includes diplomatic properties, the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research, more than 400 farms, shopping centres, hospitals, schools, churches and thousands of homes, and part of the Magaliesberg.A Land Claims Commission investigation is under way into the validity of Lekhuleni's claim.The claim has sparked anger among thousands of businessmen and homeowners, including members of his own tribe, some of whom dispute his right to the chieftaincy.Police sources yesterday told The Times that Lekhuleni, 48, who runs an initiation school in Mamelodi, had just arrived at his girlfriend's home when an unknown man approached him."As the chief got out of the car, the gunman opened fire. There were shell casings everywhere. You could see this guy wanted to kill the chief and not just rob him. His gun and BMW were taken but his car was found close by a little later."The land claim would have made him and his clan very rich," said the officer, adding that no one had seen the killer. Cindy Benyane, chief director of the Gauteng Land Claims Commission, said: "We cannot make any link between the killing and the land claim."Benyane said that the claim was lodged on behalf of the Bakgatla ba Lekhuleni community."Our regional land claims commissioner will proceed with the investigation of the claim's legitimacy. The investigation is expected to be concluded by June."She said the community would now have to elect someone to replace Lekhuleni in pursuing the land claim."We are waiting for this to happen so we can proceed with the investigation."Piet van der Watt, of the Land Claims 2 Committee, which is opposing the claim on behalf of property owners, said: "Although we don't wish ill on anyone, we hope this is the final nail in the coffin of this ridiculous claim."Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Katlego Mogale declined to speculate on the motive for the killing...

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