MUST READ: Land claimants petition ANC-NEC

Alex residents took their land plight to the national ruling party, the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters in central Joburg.

This coincided with the party’s scheduled Monday National Executive Committee meeting on 6 August.

About 150 members of NPOs, Alexandra Land and Property Owners Association (Alpoa) and Alexandra Property Owners Rights (Apor), congregated at the headquarters to picket for their land and property rights which they said have been in abeyance for over 20 years, after numerous broken promises of restoration.

Read: Opportunities in public land development uncovered

At the time of reporting, their respective representatives Dodo Shiburi and Themba Mbalukwana were discussing the petition with party officials. Their action comes after the last Constitutional Land Review public hearings conducted in the Western Cape, which allegedly sidelined Alexandra.

At one meeting, Peter Malinga of Alpoa said they were worried after claimants in some of Joburg’s townships and in other towns received their title deeds. This after Alex residents have been waiting for over two decades. At the same meeting, secretary general of Alpoa, Jacky Segopa decried the delays, including the issuing of title deeds, said to have already been approved after gazetting their claims.

Read: Alpoa to brief members on land and title deeds restoration

The petition comes almost 18 months after the organisations signed a statement of intent on possible development or ownership options on their claims with the provincial government and the City of Johannesburg.

Meanwhile, their claims are protected from any development by the City through a 20-year-old-interdict. But some of the land and homes have already been invaded by squatters resulting from the alleged failure by Metro police to enforce bylaws.

This story will be updated as new information becomes available.