DA blames EFF for Gauteng illegal land invasions

The EFF should be held accountable for the latest wave of land invasion that gripped parts of Gauteng at the weekend, DA provincial leader John Moodey says.

Moodey accused the EFF of inciting illegal invasions after reports that the red party’s members and councillors had called on the people of Alexandra in Johannesburg to invade land in the area.

On Sunday morning, Olievenhoutbosch in Centurion was again hit by illegal land occupation. About 15 erected shacks and 20 half-built structures were demolished by law enforcement officers.

The land invasion evacuation came after weeks of illegal occupation in the area, which prompted Gauteng Premier David Makhura to address the community earlier this month.

But Moodey blamed the EFF for encouraging people to break the law in order to meet their “own narrow political agenda”.

Despite not having clarity on who was responsible for Sunday’s Olievenhoutbosch land invasion, he told The Citizen yesterday that such acts could lead to a “total collapse of the rule of law”.

“I have no information regarding the EFF’s involvement in that [Olievenhoutbosch] incident, but allegations are that in Alexandra, they are inciting people to do land invasions. They have been encouraging people to break the law in order to meet their own political agenda,” said Moodey.

The land invasions have emerged since the EFF brought forward a motion of land expropriation without compensation, which was passed in parliament last month by a majority vote.

While Makhura recently pleaded with the EFF not to encourage land grabs, Moodey said the premier failed to address continued illegal occupation of provincial property in areas around the Golden Highway.

“The two DA metros, as well as Midvaal, take the appropriate action within the confines of the law. The Golden Highway in the south of Johannesburg is a provincial road and Makhura’s provincial government is doing absolutely nothing.

“The DA believes in land redistribution and restitution but we do not support land invasion, nor do we support land expropriation without compensation.”

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