Killing Hope: A decade of broken promises!
THERE is a saying that goes, “hope is a poor man’s bread”. This best describes residents of Pienaar in KaDaantjie in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
For the past 15 years, residents have been living in hope after they were promised a groundbreaking development in their area called Nkosi City, named after the royal family in the area.
Three men visited the area in 2009 and sold them a dream of houses, hospitals, clinics, jobs, and more.
This was to be realised in the form of a multi-billion-rand Agri-smart city.
This brought joy to the residents of poor rural areas, and a glimpse of hope for a better future.
Years gone without service delivery
Years later, the only thing that remains is hope and endless promises from the government.
In January 2024, while in Mpumalanga for the ANC January 8 Statement, a group of young men came to a venue where President Cyril Ramaphosa was set to address young businesspeople.
They protested outside the venue, Daily Sun enquired about the march, and the youth said they want the President to address the Nkosi City matter.
Daily Sun visited the area and got to the depth of the problem of unemployment, poverty and a lack of service delivery.
Entering the kasi, we were met by a cool breeze from the mountains of Mpumalanga and the green fields.
As we dived deeper, we realised that, like other communities in the country, the area is forgotten. Residents were seen standing on the road carrying empty buckets while some pushed wheelbarrows filled with water bottles.
This has been their daily life since there is no water in the taps. Now, they rely on water tankers.
Their big houses, which they built themselves, are on the verge of collapse. Residents don’t remember the last time they saw any housing development in the area.
Streets are teeming with salons, tuck-shops, car washes, and shisanyamas. This they do to make a living. Others walk long kilometres to and from work.
Daily Sun journalist, Kgomotso Medupe
Daily Sun journalist, Kgomotso Medupe
R7,8 billion dreams stalled!
POVERTY and high unemployment are the first things that greet you when you enter one of the largest rural settlements in Mpumalanga called Pienaar in KaDaantjie, 3km from the Kruger National Park.
Next to the kasi lies 968ha of land where dreams and hopes were to be realised after a promise was made to them 15 years ago.
On this open veld, the only ones who can enjoy this land are cattle and goats that graze there every day. Residents had hoped one day they would see a large convoy trucks to begin the long-awaited development of Nkosi City. In 2009, residents were presented with a R7,8 billion plan to build an agri-smart city called Nkosi City that would change their lives for the better.
Nkosi City: Chief threatened out of multi-billion project!
NKOSI City was meant to bring joy to residents and honour the royal family, as the name suggests.
But it has brought nothing but pain.
Chief Sicelo Nkosi, one of the three people who introduced the groundbreaking news to the residents of Pienaar in Mpumalanga, told Daily Sun he had lost so much since the idea was presented to him in 2009.
He said he had lost his house and a game reserve, which were burnt by people who allegedly didn’t want him to be part thereof.
The Chief said this has also created a rift between him and other royal family members. Chief Nkosi told Daily Sun the project was brought to him in 2009 by ANC councillor in the City of Mbombela, Mandla Msibi.
He said he went through the concept, and what he liked most was job creation for the community.
“I didn't look at it as to what we, as the royal family, would be getting, but how my people’s lives would be changed for the better."
Madala (102) wants an RDP!
MADALA Freedie Mashego is yearning for an RDP house. He had hoped the Nkosi City Development would have worked in his favour.
The 102-year-old madala from Pienaar in KaDaantjie, Mbombela, Mpumalanga, is one of the residents who had their excitement about the new Nkosi City dealt a blow by delays of the construction.
For the past 30 years, Madala Freedie has been praying for a better life promised when the ANC came to power, but that has never happened for him.
He said he has been struggling ever since.
“When I voted for the first time in 1994, I was hopeful that my life would change for the better. At the time, I was working on farms for the broers, and moved there to seek a better life. Until today, I haven’t found it. My struggles have even gotten worse,” he said.
Madala told the SunTeam he had heard about a new City that would be built for years, and it hasn't happened.
“This is just another promise that the government has been making but failed to fulfil. Every councillor or government official who wants us to vote for them, come and promise us that they will build us the city, but it never happens,” he said.
Freedie's wish is for the project to start so that he can have a decent house.
"We, from the farms, had hoped that our lives would be better, but we're still struggling. I've never had a decent house and hope the new city will provide me with one. I wish the project could be started as soon as possible because we are suffering,” he said.
Pupils feel let down by Nkosi City
THE stalling of the Nkosi City development has not only affected elders in the community but also pupils who are shocked that not a single brick has been laid.
Most of the pupils told Daily Sun they heard about the city when they were still young and in primary school, and grew up hoping that the city would be completed by the time they get to grade 12 and would further their studies there instead of travelling to other provinces.
Gugu Zitha (19), a matric pupil at Sicelosethu Secondary School in Pienaar said she thought the city would be up and running by now.
“It would have made my life easier because I would have enrolled there after matric and would save a lot of money for accommodation and transport,” she said.
Another matric pupil, Unathi Shabangu (18) said she was looking forward to seeing a brand-new city and new opportunities.
She said the thought of going to another province to further her studies saddens her.
“Our parents are not working. We have to apply for study grants when we need to go universities or colleges. Already, we hear there's a problem with that. Chances are, we might find ourselves sitting at home due to non-affordability,” she said.
Youth depends on grants!
YOUNG people in Pienaar in kaDaantjie, Mpumanlanga, hope for a better future. This, despite the stalling of a multi-billion-rand development project called Nkosi City that could change their lives for the better.
Most young people are unemployed. They depend on social grants, and some do odd jobs here and there to make ends meet.
They told Daily Sun the project would create more job opportunities for locals. Daily Sun spoke to Lwazi Mathebula, who makes a living by patching potholes on the damaged roads in Pienaar daily.
The 28-year-old said he makes at least R150 on a good day and uses the money to buy food for his family.
Killing hope: Businesses struggling to stay afloat!
BUSINESSOWNERS in Pienaar, Mpumalanga, shared their concerns over delayed construction of Nkosi City.
They said government dragging its feet s is affecting business growth and the creation of employment opportunities in the area.
They shared with Daily Sun their struggles to maintain their businesses as the community they serve faces high unemployment rates.
Mlungisi Madonsela, a construction industry boss with 16 years of experience, emphasised challenges of sustaining his business under current conditions.
He highlighted his initial enthusiasm for the Nkosi City development project. He saw it as an opportunity to expand his business and contribute toward community development through job creation and skills sharing.
"Upon learning about the Nkosi City project, I was optimistic about the potential for growth and the positive impact it could have on the community and surrounding areas," Mlungisi said.
He's eagerly awaiting government's announcement to start the project, which, he believes, could transform the local economy.
He said he started his business because he needed extra cash but now, he wants to see it grow from strength to strength .
Gogo’s big dreams of Nkosi city fading!
GOGO Thoko Ngwenya said she's worried she might not live to see Nkosi City.
The 63-year-old gogo from Pienaar in the KaDaantjie City of Mbombela, Mpumalanga, told Daily Sun growing up, she had big dreams.
She said to achieve her dreams, she moved from her home in Mpumalanga to Gauteng.
According to gogo Thoko, when she heard about Nkosi City she moved back home immediately, so that she didn’t miss out on job opportunities, but now realises that it was a mistake. Years later, nothing has happened, and she is still unemployed.
“By the looks of things, I might even die before I see the so-called city,” she said.
Gogo said her concern right now is the issue of water and having to travel long distances when she wants to go to the city.
Govt comes to the party!
AFTER years of anticipation, the ambitious Nkosi City project is finally set to move from concept to construction.
Spearheaded by renowned property developer Philip Kleijnhans, the project promises to revolutionise the Mbombela and the broader Ehlanzeni District landscape.
“Many people have come on board and are ready to work. There's a company that wants to build a shopping centre and the Barcelona Football Club, which I've signed up to start a football and training academy. A hotel group's coming up this month, a convention centre, approving human settlement which will start with 5 000 residential houses,” he said.
Despite facing challenges such as political interference and bureaucratic delays, the project has received the green light, with significant backing from both the community and government.
From Concept to Execution: The Journey of Nkosi City
Kleijnhans shared with Daily Sun Nkosi City's journey, a project 15 years in the making, now valued at R8.3 billion.
The development is a balanced mix of government-private investment, with government land parcels, infrastructure, and private commercial land parcels making up the financial backbone of the project.
“The moment we have land, we'll start aggressively with development. But we still need government to fund infrastructure which is the next challenge,” he said.
WATCH: People of Pienaar, kaDaantjie share their stories
THE stalling of the Nkosi City development has not only affected the elders, but it has also affected pupils who are shocked that it has not yet been built.
MADALA Freedie Mashego is yearning for an RDP house and had hoped Nkosi City Development would have provided him with it.
BUSINESS owners in Pienaar, Mpumalanga, expressed their concerns over the delayed construction of Nkosi City.
POVERTY and high unemployment are the first things that greet you when you enter one of the largest rural settlements in Mpumalanga called Pienaar in KaDaantjie, three kilometres from the Kruger National Park.
YOUNG people of Pienaar in kaDaantjie, Mpumanlanga are hopeful for a better future despite the stalling of a multi-billion-rand development project called Nkosi City that could change their lives.
Killing Hope: A decade of broken promises!
THERE is a saying that “hope is a poor man’s bread.”
This best describes the residents of Pienaar in KaDaantjie in the City of Mbombela in Mpumalanga.
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