Mohlakeng residents stage mass action

Residents of Mohlakeng Extension 5 were up in arms during a mass action during which they blocked off a section of Segaetsho Road and the R28 with burning tyres and rocks on 28 August.

This comes as residents demand the delivery of basic services in the form of proper sanitation, water and electricity from the Randfontein Local Municipality.

Residents told a Herald journalist who was at the scene at 6am that they have been barricading the road since 2am.

Police managed to disperse the furious crowd to engage in talks with the West Rand District Municipality Executive Mayor Mpho Nawa at the Wall of Life Ministry church.

According to residents, these events emanate from the fact that the municipality refuses to render basic services in the area owing to a land dispute.

They say that the municipality is accusing them of occupying the land illegally, despite having bought stands at an auction.

“We don’t care about the land dispute that they claim to be the problem. What we want is basic service delivery and title deeds to our houses.

“We are not interested in what the council has to say because they initially failed to address our concerns despite our efforts to talk to them.

“Only now that we have stopped talking and started airing our grievances with protest action do they want to engage in talks with us,” says a resident.

Initially the Herald published an article about the ongoing land dispute that had residents hot under the collar for some time.

It is understood that the events that led to the unrest in Mohlakeng started unfolding more than ten years ago.

According to Randfontein Local Municipality spokesperson Lucky Chiya, it is unfortunate that residents are caught in the crossfire.

“In the early 90s the municipality entered into an agreement with a land developer to build houses in Extension 5.

“Shortly after this, the developer in question was declared insolvent and could not meet his obligations,” says Chiya.

He adds that another property developer secured a loan from Nedbank to purchase the land, however after a short while he too was declared insolvent and could not develop the land.

“Unfortunately this led to the bank securing a court order to sell the land by means of an auction.

“The land was bought for R3,4 by a man only known as Annandale, and he auctioned off the land to residents of the area,” says Chiya.

The municipality is in an ongoing land dispute with Annandale and the Sheriff in an effort to reclaim the land.

According to Chiya, they had an agreement with Annandale that he could build houses on that portion of land in Mohlakeng provided that he rendered the services as well.

Chiya adds that it was stipulated in their contract that failure to do so would result in the municipality taking back the land.

“It is incorrect for residents to assume that we have neglected them because that is far from the truth.

“Residents need to know that the office of the mayor is working around the clock to restore peace in the area.

“Meanwhile, we will be supplying water in the area temporarily, so residents need not worry.

“We urge that they try to understand the position we as the municipality are in and be patient with us while we resolve this matter in court,” says Chiya.