Mbabane - The Appeal Court of Swaziland has declared illegal the eviction of about 200 KaMKhweli and Macetjeni residents with their chiefs.
The court described the evictions, which were carried out at midnight on September 13, as "inhumane and callous".
The court on Wednesday ordered the immediate return of the evicted chiefs with their families and followers.
The people were evicted after they refused to accept a senior royal prince, Prince Maguga Dlamini, an older brother of King Mswati III, as their chief.
The order for their eviction was issued by his brother, who is the minister of home affairs, Prince Sobandla.
The matter was taken to the High Court of Swaziland which had found the eviction order irregular and illegal.
The families had been ordered to leave the KaMkhweli and Macetjeni areas on September 6, the day Swaziland normally celebrates her independence from British rule.
After the high court had declared the eviction order illegal, the authorities sent armed forces that night to forcefully evict the two chiefs, Chief Mtfuso Dlamini of KaMkhweli and Chief Mliba Fakudze of Macetjeni with their families and their followers.
About 46 more families were still due to be evicted when the appeal court application was made.
The two chiefs are currently living in exile in Secunda in Mpumalanga.