Mooibank relocation does more harm than good

The J.B. Marks Municipality held a press briefing at Dan Tloome Council Chambers on Friday, 21 April, to discuss the relocation of Mooibank residents to an area between Dassierand and Promosa.

According to Leon Mkhabela, acting executive mayor of J.B. Marks Municipality, the municipality did its best to provide alternative solutions after the court order was executed.

He says the council authorised comprehensive developmental measures to address overcrowding and inadequate residential development issues. In addressing and responding to the execution of the High Court eviction order, the council identified portion 239 of Farm Klipdrift to be utilised to accommodate the evicted residents.

According to Jeanette Tshite, acting municipal spokesperson, the previously identified portion of Klipdrift farm has a windmill for water supply and a school facility about two kilometers away. Alternatively, the council could have negotiated with the leadership of Barolong Boo Modiboa at Matlwang Village to designate temporary accommodation for the illegal residents from Mooibank.

Tshite added that following clarification during the meeting between the North West Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, J.B. Marks Local Municipality and the National Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development, it was determined that Klipdrift was not designated for human settlement but rather farming.

The municipality then established a Multi Party Committee that consisted of the Executive Mayor, Gaba Ka Qhele, councillors from various political parties and relevant officials led by the Speaker, Rosy Dassie. Tshite explained that the committee was responsible for ensuring that the process of relocating people from Mooibank was implemented in an orderly and dignified manner.

Tshite added that members of the committee had to ensure that the progress is reported throughout the relocation of people and that councillors in the affected wards were requested to address residents and inform them of the intention or plan to relocate people from Mooibank to an area between Promosa and Dassierand. However, both Mooibank and Promosa residents insist that the entire process was news to them until a few days before the relocation.

Following verification of residents that was conducted by the municipality in Mooibank at the end of March 2023, 283 shacks in total were identified and out of those, only 221 were occupied while 66 were found empty. Subsequent to the scrapping and preparation of the land between Promosa and Dassierand, 640 stands were available to accommodate people from Mooibank as well as identified people from Wards 13, 17 and 21.

According to Tshite, at the moment all 221 shacks have been allocated a stand. In the media briefing, The acting municipal manager, Sandile Tyatya indicated that those who had been waiting to be allocated a stand were being accommodated along with their children at Potch Dam.

However, when the Herald visited residents on Tuesday, 25 April, some indicated that they had been sleeping outside with children since they were relocated on Monday, 17 April. One of them Monimang Moshepi, was only allocated a stand on Tuesday, 25 April. “I have been placed as a non-contact resident because there was a mix up when the municipality verified residents at Mooibank, according to them, me and another resident shared the same house number,” she explained.

Monimang, whose youngest is six years old says she is completely disheartened by the situation. “My youngest has caught the flu and has not been able to go to school,” she said. “She keeps asking me that I promised her that we were moving to a new place but why are we living outside, what do I tell a child her age? We have been freezing to death but there is nothing I have been able to do about it, I just had to wait,” she lamented.

Another resident, 54-year-old Lizbeth Godla spent the last few days sleeping under a plastic bag while her grandchildren used the blankets she has. “I’m not entirely impressed with the fact that we have been provided water and toilets while we have not had a roof over our head,” she said.

Ernest Tankola who says he has been part of the Mooibank community since it was established says he has been patiently waiting his turn to be allocated a stand. “Whenever officials from the municipality are on site, they always tell me that they will attend to me but they never do and I have no idea why,” he said.

Tshite said unfortunately municipal officials experienced cases whereby people wanted to hijack and benefit from the process whilst not qualifying.“ The relocation of people from Mooibank unfolded in line with the Prevention of Illegal Eviction and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998 which stipulates that, the relocation of occupiers from land should be conducted in a fair manner, taking into special consideration the rights of the elderly, children, persons with disability, female headed households and other vulnerable members of society,” she said.

Mkhabela said, a long term plan to formalise will depend on the findings collected once the Environmental Impact Assessment, Geotechnical Study, detailed Layout Plan and Service Plan have been implemented.

DA Councillor, Johan Zerwick , says the DA is shocked by the poor planning of the municipality. “Since last week, there have been heavy debates amongst residents and councillors from both Promosa and Mooibank about the stands at the cleared area near Promosa where the Mooibank residents were relocated to,” he said.

According to him, residents from Promosa are upset with the municipality for making space to accommodate the Mooibank residents when they themselves have been begging for space to build homes. Susan Jonkers, a resident from ward 21 in Promosa, says they don’t have a problem with Mooibank residents being moved close to Promosa, the issue is that they are being made a priority over them. “They are being provided with water, toilets and even private security so that they can be safe, what about residents in Marikana?” she said.

Zerwick added that the DA is particularly concerned about the manner in which people are being allocated stands in a dolomite area without the required environmental impact assessment and without any utility infrastructure such as water, electricity or sanitation, which is in direct conflict with the High Court of Mahikeng’s court order that Mooibank residents be relocated to a better site.

He added that the DA will submit a motion to Council as the entire process of relocating the Mooibank residents and allocating the sites was never approved, but was rolled over from one human rights violation to the next, mistreating the Mooibank and Promosa residents without any fairness or transparency.

“We will also write to the North West MEC of COGTA, Lenah Miga, requesting her immediate intervention in the J.B. Marks Housing Department to ensure that Mooibank residents receive stands in areas with access to utility infrastructure and that residents who have been on the waiting list are prioritised,” he added.