The community of Wesselton heeded the call from the South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Msukaligwa district and invaded municipal land in Ext 7 to mark out stands on Tuesday, 13 March.
Also read: Land invasion is illegal
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also issued a similar call in May last year, resulting in thousands of Wesselton residents invading the land near Thusi Village.
However, the municipality took the matter to court and won, preventing anyone from erecting markings or dwellings on the land.
The municipality began building low-cost houses on the land after the debacle in August.
According to the municipality at the time, military veterans from the liberation struggle and registered residents were listed as candidates to receive the housing.
This did not sit well with the public leading to the Middleclass Earners Committee embarking on yet another protest in November over the prices of the houses allocated to them.
The land was once again in the spotlight when a Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Human Settlements, Mr Speedy Mashilo, arrived in town in December to hand over 14 houses to the veterans in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, where 1 283 title deeds were also awarded to beneficiaries.
When the Highvelder visited the area, beneficiaries occupied the houses with land next to the grouping of houses marked out with poles.
According to the SACP in the sub-district, the community has rights to the land and must take it.
However, Mr Mandla Zwane, municipal spokesman, disputed it, saying no political party or official is allowed to tell people to invade land.
“The land invasion in Ext 7 is illegal,” he said.
When asked whether the municipality will take the SACP to court, similar to the EFF case, Mr Zwane said the law is applicable to every person or citizen.
“Any person who commits an illegal act will be dealt with in terms of the applicable law, irrespective of the political affiliation.”
Msukaligwa has seen its fair share of land invasions in the past month with residents in Wesselton Ward 4 invading land near the sewage station.
The land grabbing has become a national issue after the ruling party, ANC, said it supported land expropriation without compensation.
Mr Zwane appealed to all those who are on the municipal housing waiting list to be patient with government.
“Government has always endeavoured, within its limited resources, to uphold the constitutional rights of citizens by providing decent housing in an orderly and sustainable manner for most of the qualifying residents,” he said.
