ian shapiro reply.

I shot off an email to Ian Shapiro to try and clarify who the Beng was for NKP.
I did not expect a reply. I got one.


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Thank you for your email.All I can do is relate the facts to you as to the current situation and you as a shareholder must make up your mind.
As you know there are 2 properties involved Nooitverwacht (N ) and Eerstegeluk (E).The Bengwenyama (B) tribe have lived on N since 1859 without any interruption.The same applies regarding E although the B tribe through the apartheid govt were dispossessed of E for many years and following the abolition of apartheid the B tribe in terms of the legislation passed then applied in 1998 for ownership of the land to be restored to it.There are about 20000 members of the B tribe who occupy N and E and the Bengwenyama Tribal Council (BTC ) is the body recognised in law as the representative of the B tribe.(Its like a company comprised of shareholders with the Board of Directors as its head and representing the company-so its the same with the members of the tribe and the BTC).
Regarding N the BTC through a corporate vehicle have applied for the rights over N as the B community.The so called opposing application for the rights over N by the "Bengwenyama community " and supported by Genorah /Nkwe is misleading.Although I have not seen the application I understand its brought by a few members of the Bengwenyama Royal Council (BRC ).The BRC is an advisory body to the BTC without ANY LEGAL STANDING AT ALL.The BRC have already tried this ploy in the previous proceedings without success.The 4 or 5 members whom we are understand are supported by Genorah attempted to intervene in the previous proceedings by alleging they were the "true representatives "of the community.They did not succeed.NKWE have never made this disclosure.Not surprising. These renegades do not enjoy the support of the community and quite frankly there is no legal basis at all for this so called application for competing rights as the B community.Roka Phasha (RP ) concede they have no claim as the commty re N so its the application of the BRC that is before the Dept of Minerals together with my clients application which has the sanction of the BTC.
With regard to E the RP claim they own the property and therefore their application for the rights must succeed.The application is supported by Genorah /Nkwe.As I said the B tribe succeeded with its land claim to the property.There was no opposition to the claim and its now a question of completing the process for registration.Again the BTC has jurisdiction over E and is representative of the tribe.RP have been aware of the litigation over past few years and chose NOT to intervene never once alleging ownership.In fact the RP live on an adjoining property(I forget the name -something like Degoedverwachting or something similar to that ).A number of years ago with the blessing of the Chief of the B tribe about 150 members of RP came to live on E due to some squabble on their land-its now these few RP members who claim to be the Community on E.As against about 20000 members of the B tribe.RP never disputed Bs land claim to Eerstegeluk nor did RP ever intervene in the High Court proceedings when they had the oppurtunity to do so with regard to Bs claim to E.NKWE /genorah are now relying on this RP community application as the legitimate application .
#### you may say that since I act for the B tribe I am distorting the facts.May I suggest that as a shareholder you suggest to other shareholders and to Nkwe to appoint an independent party to investigate all the facts so that at least then the advice you receive and the facts are not direct from Nkwe who may not be objective considering what is at stake.
I hope you make the right decision !
Kind Regards
Ian Shapiro

-----Original Message-----

To: Ian Shapiro
Subject: RE: Nkwe.