90 families in Madibeng face imminent eviction

At least 90 households living in state houses and hostels in Hartbeespoort and Brits in Madibeng municipality are facing imminent eviction from properties they took over from their parents.

The department of water and Sanitation, which owns the dwellings, last month issued eviction notices saying they were occupying the state-owned houses illegally.

The properties were used by department officials or staff who worked at Hartbeespoort Dam’s water and sewage treatment works and canals.

Eviction notices issued last month

The families occupying housing compounds owned by the department are resisting the eviction.

They are mostly the elderly, children and grandchildren of deceased and living former department workers.

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They claimed they owned the properties, having inherited them from their late relatives. They have sought assistance from civic organisations in a battle to remain in their homes and demanded that the department reverse its decision to evict them.

On 22 January, two department officials gave them “unlawful” notices of eviction.

The officials gave the first notice to Frankie Mogapi and later issued the same notices to 38 others, requiring all of them to vacate the houses by 28 February.

Eviction despite pending judgment

Mogapi said they were being evicted despite a pending judgment by the North West High Court in Mafikeng on the matter.

The department approached the court earlier for an order to evict the occupants and the judgment is pending.

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But on Monday, the department said an estimated 90 dwellings situated near the Hartbeespoort Dam and at Brits have been occupied by people who should not be there.

“In Hartbeespoort and Brits, the department has issued eviction notices to illegal occupants.

“These are not employees of the department and they are unlawfully occupying the department’s official dwellings.

‘These are not employees’

“Therefore, they are depriving some of our employees of their right to official accommodation,” said department spokesperson Wisane Mavasa.

Mavasa said the eviction process was also to address the scourge of illegal occupation of government dwellings.

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“The department is required to ensure that where there is accommodation available, it is allocated to those deserving, in accordance with the housing policies and criteria set by the housing committee of the department,” she said.

Some occupants and former workers said the evictions were set to affect all state dwellings occupied, or previously allocated to the department’s former and present employees countrywide.

The occupants have approached the Hartbeespoort Shutdown Movement, the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the SA National Civics Organisation for help.

NGOs write to minister

The NGOs had written to Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina, the department’s housing committee, the police and other departments seeking interventions.

“Such actions are not only unwarranted but are also clearly aimed at instilling fear among all respondents, many of whom rely on this process for the protection of their homes and livelihoods,” the NGOs said.

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Hartbeespoort Shutdown Movement representative Motape Motokwe said the evictions were unfair.

“Some facing eviction are children of department workers who died at work.

“The kids were left in those compounds without care from the state for years and now they want to evict them.

Kids left in compounds without care

“Some in the compounds have children who go to university now. We don’t want the government to demolish the houses but to transfer them to the current occupants,” Motokwe said.

The North West UDF spokesperson, who wished to remain anonymous, requested the department, Madibeng municipality, the North West legislature and national government stop the “unlawful evictions”.

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Sanco said the eviction notices were issued despite Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo’s attempt to mediate between the parties for a solution that would accommodate the socioeconomic conditions of the communities.

A senior employee, who asked not to be named, said about 1 000 people living in compounds and hostels around dams and canals operated by the department would be affected nationally.