Metro warns land invaders

Metro spokesman Lebogang Ramashala says the metro cautions members of the community against illegally buying and occupying municipal land, as they will face prospects of being evicted or arrested.

This follows the recent invasions in Tsakane, where community members forcefully and illegally occupied land belonging to the council.

According to Ramashala, the metro is obliged to protect and preserve land, with the purpose of utilising it for future developments, such as housing, businesses, churches, sporting facilities, roads and agricultural projects.

“The illegal occupation of vacant land without proper approval from the municipality poses life-threatening risks as most land within Ekurhuleni is either dolomitic, lies on the flood line, over old mines, is water locked or is not in line with the metro’s urban development plan,” she says.

She adds that fighting the scourge of land invasions requires the joint participation of all stakeholders and members of the public are encouraged to contact the local authority when they detect people invading council-owned

land,

Community member Thuli Hlongwane says residents of Thubelisha Section decided to invade the land because they have been waiting for houses for over 21 years, and nothing has been done to assist them.

EFF secretary general Sipho Watkins says the party is supporting the community in their attempt to acquire the abandoned land.

Watkins adds that the metro has an obligation to make sure that everyone has adequate housing

Hlongwane says she applied for a house when democracy was attained in the country.

Tsakane police spokesman Petros Mabuza says four suspects were arrested for public violence on the day, and were released with a warning on April 28.