The Tshwane metro has asked Laerskool Elarduspark to voluntarily give back the land it was supposed to use as its sports field.
Informal recyclers hijacked the land from the school and are now using it as a waste sorting site hence the metro’s desire to reclaim it.
A growing number of waste sorters have descended upon the land behind the abandoned Pretoria east ‘Ghost’ mall on Delmas Road, adjacent to the defunct Garstkloof landfill site.
The illicit recycling operations pose a threat to both the environment and the safety and security of nearby residents.
Tshwane leased the land to the school around 2003 on R99 per annum agreement.
In 2024, the Gauteng Education Department said the school intended to use the land as a sports field, however, the maintenance thereof was outrageously expensive since the field still needs serious groundwork.
The land was subsequently hijacked and turned into a mini waste sorting facility, while Tshwane said the lease agreement had expired in January 2024.
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) confirmed that the lease agreement has not expired.
GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said the property is currently under a constituted lease agreement.
“Consequently, the SGB has made concerted efforts to find a viable model to secure substantial capital required to develop the leased property,” said Mabona.
He said it must be noted that the initial model solely relied on a collaborative agreement with the developer of the Villa Mall which has since been abandoned due to significant financial challenges faced by the developer.
Mabona stated that the school has made continued efforts to maintain the grounds, remove the vagrants and lock the gate.
“We have also engaged with the municipality and discussions are ongoing and letters have been delivered to the illegal vagrants demanding they vacate the property,” he said.
Mabona said the GDE will continue to monitor the situation and intervene accordingly.
However, the Tshwane metro said it has issued a 30-day contravention notice to the school.
Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the notice was issued on November 6, 2024, which was then followed by a meeting between the city and the school on February 26.
“The school representatives indicated that they are contemplating to voluntarily submit a notice for the termination of the lease once they have met with their school governing body, and thereafter the city will immediately take control of the property and secure it,” he explained.
Mashigo said the discussions surrounding the future of the property are still ongoing.
“The city is still engaging the school on the voluntary termination of the lease. Once this is done, the city will secure the property and embark on a highest and best use exercise to determine its future.”
Mashigo said the school had a responsibility to develop the property into a sports ground and secure it, however, it could not raise funds to proceed with the development.
He said Tshwane metro police patrol the site regularly.
“This will be amplified once the lease is terminated and the city takes over the management of the property.”
Mashigo added that the metro has established a Land Invasion Unit which is responsible for the protection of vacant land and immovable property.
“In addition, the city is conducting inspections through its Asset Controllers and has issued various contravention notices to properties that are illegally occupied and has referred cases to our Legal Department for litigation proceeding through the courts.”
Safety forums in the east believed that the development of the property into sports grounds would allow the Garstkloof landfill site to be secured by a fence and this will assist in securing the landfill site as well.
The forum said the waste that is lying around creates a serious health risk for all residents in the vicinity. “It is illegal to be sorting waste [there], the property is not zoned to run a business,” it said.
Illegal sorting also creates health hazards, attracts rodents and is a fire hazard to the area.
The unwanted plastic and waste are burnt creating toxic fumes which impact residents’ health. Fires for cooking and warmth are made and have caused several fires, which spread threatening the Garstkloof landfill site as well as the nature reserve.
It is believed that criminals are using these properties as escape routes or to hide stolen property.
Last year a private security company confirmed recovering stolen property hidden there.
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