An owner of a 17-hectare Moreleta Park property known as the White House has turned to legal action due to the residence being illegally occupied by over 120 dwellers.
The property is located behind the large Plastic View informal settlement.
The property owner has filed for a high court order to evict the squatters living rent-free on the property.
The Wekker and Brabham streets property in Moreleta Park has been home to over 120 dwellers for years.
The property was left in good condition by the owners, who relocated abroad several years ago. However, now they plan to return and develop the property.
A representative of the property owner, Deirdré van Helsdingen, claimed that the illegal occupants had no intention of moving out. Instead, they want to rope in a lawyer to help them fight the eviction.
Van Helsdingen said when a head count was done on the property, 100 adults and 30 children resided on there.
She said the owner has requested that the illegal occupants be removed from the property as soon as possible.
“I was appointed as manager of the property two years ago after searching for the owners for four years.”
Van Helsdingen said the owner came back in March this year and was saddened to see what was happening on her property.
“She then went to seek legal advice on how to remove the occupants as soon as possible.
The electricity and water infrastructures have been destroyed.”
She said years back when the owner left, the property was still in good shape with proper fencing around which has now all been stolen.
Van Helsdingen said the owner’s legal team was granted a high court order on June 26 to compel Tshwane to inspect the property as Plastic View is not a legal informal settlement.
Tshwane visited the property on August 13 to compile a report.
Van Helsdingen said most of the occupiers are undocumented foreigners.
Since there is no fence, dwellers of Plastic View also pass by the property to fetch water and do their washing from a hijacked fire hydrant next to the property on Brabham Street.
“The fire hydrant is used to fill the truck that provides water to Plastic View, however, the residents of Plastic View have now hijacked the area and do their washing there, leaving the residents of Meadow Glen Estate very unhappy as well as the owners of the White House.”
Van Helsdingen said the Plastic View dwellers have extended a pipe onto the White House property.
“Further they hang their clothes over the fences in direct view of the residents of Meadow Glen Estate.
The owner is willing to explore all legal avenues to regain the property as they plan for a township development.”
She said the owner has been paying property tax all this time, while squatters have illegally invaded the land, and are living rent-free.
The Tshwane metro said the property is occupied illegally and not registered as an informal settlement.
Metro spokesperson said Tshwane human settlement visited the property on August 13 to shack mark and register all the illegal occupiers.
“Unfortunately, the illegal occupiers refused to co-operate with the team in providing the required details.”
Mashigo said only two households provided the required details.
“The team went back to White House on August 21 to register the beneficiaries and the illegal occupiers refused again to co-operate. They requested that the group head for human settlements must come to address them, and they will in turn invite their lawyers,” said Mashigo.
Mashigo said on August 21 the illegal occupiers also requested that Van Helsdingen should also be invited, otherwise, they would not partake in any meeting.
“However the city engaged with Van Helsdingen, who provided us with the list of all beneficiaries, which is being analysed to make a conclusion in line with the court order.”
Mashigo said the area is illegally occupied and not on the list of informal settlements the city provides rudimentary services to.
“The provision of rudimentary services (water and sewer) is not demand-driven but budget-driven. However, we know that the dwellers use solar and have Jojo tanks for water storage.”
Mashigo said the illegal occupation of land is a serious concern to the city and will always have public health and safety issues.
He said as the property is private, should there be any billing needed it would be for the owner’s account.
“The city will demonstrate that it complied with the court order and recommend that the National Department of Home Affairs attend to the matter as there are illegal immigrants on the property.”
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