Mzwangedwa Mlaba allegedly campaigned to be the Chief of his community in the Camperdown District, Natal [now KwaZulu-Natal], but the community voted for another chief. He and his followers were accused of resorting to violence, creating dissent and attempting to discredit the appointed Chief. There were several outbreaks of violence over this dispute. It was decided that he and three others should be banished to restore the peace.
Mlaba, a former resident in the Camperdown District, Natal [now KwaZulu-Natal] was banished to Mahlabatini, [Northern] Natal [now KwaZulu-Natal] on 7 November 1953.
The four banished persons appealed against their banishment orders and as the High Court was said to be considering the validity of their banishments, new banishment orders were issued on the grounds that their return would lead to bloodshed.
The order was withdrawn on 1 September 1971.
• Contribution by Professor S. Badat, Rhodes University, 2012. From the book, Forgotten People - Political Banishment under Apartheid by Professor S. Badat