BARBERTON – “We really meant it when we said that we are here to stay and I’m saying it again, we are still not shaken as they have failed before with their court interdict.
We are going to occupy this land until we get what we want,” said a member of the Umjindi Community Forum, Mr Vusi “Snopo” Gwebu.
It has been almost five months since residents went on the rampage after waiting many years for RDP houses and stands. They invaded municipal land in Extension 12 and developed an informal settlement, they call Kosovo Villa.
Most of them previously indicated that they had registered for houses in 1994 and 1999, but had discovered that their names were not on the municipal waiting list.
Doesn’t that mean the Umjindi Local Municipality is fighting a losing battle?
Mpumalanga News learnt that the municipality obtained a court interdict from the Pretoria High Court to remove them from the land.
After obtaining the interdict, the municipality sent the notorious Red Ants and police to demolish the shacks, but it seems like it was a waste of time and energy as the residents have rebuilt their shacks.
They went further and accused the municipality of handling this matter like the apartheid regime as one remarked: “The way our leaders operate, is as if we are still living under the apartheid government because we don’t have a say and they don’t communicate with us. They do as they please.”
This newspaper wanted to inquire about future plans for this informal settlement and requested an exclusive interview with the mayor, Cllr Lazarus Mashaba, but the office of the mayor stated that this matter had to be directed to the municipal manager, Mr Pat Msibi.
A media enquiry was forwarded to his secretary who also confirmed receipt, but at the time of going to print, they had not as yet responded. Msibi was engaged in a management meeting.
i dnt get it with the RDP issues coz itz evrywere in ermelo extension 6 my mom applied for a RDP n itz waz approved in 2003 bt dey didnt build it after dat they told us dat de contruct ate de money after we have been going in and out of de municipal office trying 2 apply for another 1 until dis year 2014 bt still dey have only built a foundation instead dey came back to take ma moms bricks saying dey going to finish ada houses dat were not finish nw dey not cuming bck n itz been 5 mnths ppl plz help