APPROXIMATELY 50 people attempted to invade the Stockville Valley property in Gillitts on Sunday 11 May.
The privately owned property, which stretches from Glenwood Road in Kloof to the N3 experienced a similar attempted land invasion in March 2011. Yesterday’s attempted land invasion occurred on the land adjacent to Stockville Road and Carnation place.
According to Rick Crouch, councillor of Ward 10, the land invaders claimed that ANC PR Councillor Dennis Mhlanzi gave them permission to invade the land.
“During election times people make promises with no intention of keeping those promises. They are deliberately giving them false information and giving them false hope, and it is cruel and illegal,” said Crouch.
Crouch was notified of the incident by a Stockville resident, and he immediately notified the Land Invasion Unit. At the scene, Crouch addressed the crowd and explained to them that their actions were illegal and that the Land Invasion Unit would remove them by force if they did not vacate the premises. The Land Invasion Unit dispersed them and they left peacefully.
“There are continually rumours going around that eThekwini will be building houses in Stockville and I have repeatedly tried to assure the residents in Stockville that the Housing Department had made the decision that there will be no houses on that land,” said Crouch.
Crouch reported that the Housing Department has conducted three surveys of the Stockville Valley land, and concluded that 80 per cent of the land could not be used. Sections of the land has been classified D’MOSS areas by municipality, as they are environmentally sensitive areas. Development or construction is therefore prohibited on the demarcated areas.
“Construction of RDP houses would also be expensive, as the area is not flat. Flat stands would have to be built, and RDP houses would cost approximately R85 000 each. The Stockville land is therefore not financially feasible,” said Crouch.
Mhlanzi has denied the allegation that he gave the people permission to invade the Stockville Valley property. “The ANC can not allow me to condone such behaviour. The matter is under investigation,” said Mhlanzi. He confirmed that a large piece of land has been bought by the municipality in Mount Edgecombe and preparations are being made to build houses on the property.
If residents witness the illegal invasion of a vacant land they must report it immediately as there is only 24 hours in which to remove the illegal invaders, failing which an eviction order must be obtained from a court and the illegal settlers must then also be provided with an alternate place to live.
Contact the eThekwini Land Invasion Unit on 031 311 4024 or 031 311 4703, or Crouch on 073 418 6996.
