ACCORDING to residents, 200 families were left stranded and homeless in Lebowakgomo Block Q after the Lepelle Nkumpi Municipality demolished their shacks a fortnight ago.
One of the dwellers, Martha Ledwaba, said she had paid R500 in order to get a stand from a man claiming to be the chief of the area.
“I was shocked to receive a notice from the municipality that it was illegal to build here in Block Q and that they would demolish all buildings.
“I spent a lot of money to build a three-roomed shack for my family and I am a single mother.
“Now I don’t know where to go or where to put my possessions. Some of my possessions were damaged but nobody seems to care,” Ledwaba said.
Another resident, Matome Mojapelo, said he did not know where to sleep after the municipality demolished his shack.
He said he was unemployed and relied on casual work for survival, but the bulldozer had damaged some of his possessions.
Municipal spokesperson, Mokgadi Maubane, said they had warned residents to stop their illegal occupation of the land in Block Q, but they paid no heed to the warnings.
Maubane said the municipality made numerous public announcements through notices and radio platforms to discourage illegal occupation and construction of structures on municipal land in Block Q.
“Although people were warned, we saw the mushrooming of structures in the form of shacks in this area. We had to seek a court order to demolish these illegally constructed structures.
“As per court order, the municipality demolished over 150 shacks which were mainly unoccupied. We reiterate our commitment towards the implementation of spatial development framework (SDF) in a way that betters the lives of our people and land use management that is coordinated and sustainable,” she said.
“The municipal land in Block Q is earmarked for township development.
“Processes are underway to complete an environmental impact assessment in the area.
“We remain committed to ensure that infrastructure for services like water, sanitation, roads, and sewage is in place as we implement the SDF and develop new settlements,” she said.
“Illegal occupation of land makes it difficult if not impossible for the municipality to ensure proper planning for these services.”
