POLOKWANE – The issue of illegal land claims on an open piece of land at Ext 40 along the Matlala road near Westenburg will be brought before the Polokwane high court for a settlement agreement tomorrow.

This follows after the municipality held a meeting with the claimants, the regional land claims commissioner and the department of cooperative governance, human settlements and traditional affairs on Tuesday, where they discussed a way forward and came to an agreement, which would reflect on the final court order. Five shacks were erected last Saturday by residents from Disteneng, who claimed they had title deeds as proof that they had the right to occupy the land.

However, none of these residents could produce a title deed when Review visited the area and requested to see them.

Westenburg residents said they were not going to allow anyone to occupy the land, as the land belonged to them.

“We were forcefully removed from New Pietersburg and sent to Westenburg in the 1980’s. Not all of us were given land and the municipality promised this land to us, but never developed the area. Now the land is being claimed by people who were removed from Disteneng by the municipality and we will not stand for it. They are not moving here, finished en klaar,” Westenburg residents said.

Asked if the allegations by the Westenburg residents were true, Tidimalo Chuene, a municipal spokesperson, said: “it would not be in order to discuss details of the meeting held on Tuesday and other aspects of this matter at the moment, as this might jeopardise our agreement with the land claimants and their representatives”.

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