Land invasion saga on vacant land in Lombardy East
LOMBARDY EAST – Glera blocks EFF members from illegally occupying land.
The Greater Lombardy East Residents Association (Glera) is expected to convene an urgent meeting to find a lasting solution to the recent land invasion in the Johannesburg north-eastern suburb.
This after members of the public tried to invade vacant land in the area. The incident, which has been widely condemned by local residents, caused a stir with the residents coming out in numbers to block this move from going ahead.
It is believed the land, on the corner of Shakespeare and Victoria roads, belongs to the City of Johannesburg social housing entity Joshco.
On 11 March, Glera supported by the residents and Ward 81 councillor Irene Rugheimer, were on the scene to block the land invaders from occupying the land illegally.
When contacted, Rugheimer said the land was earmarked for a housing project and as residents in the area, they would not allow people to build shacks on that land.
Rugheimer added that residents were adamant that they did not want shacks in their area and would remove anyone who tried to invade the vacant land.
“Invaders will be removed… anyone trying to invade will be removed,” said Rugheimer.
“We have obtained a court order and we also have police on site to restore order. So they don’t have a choice but to move.”
Glera will convene a meeting with their lawyers, Joshco and town planning officials to come to an amicable solution so that the project can go ahead, she added.
Glera chairperson, Abey Mamaregane confirmed that the association would not allow people to build shacks on that land and they want those that have already been built to be removed.
He said as Glera they were in support of Joshco building houses there but the entity should first resolve pending issues that residents have complained about before.
“We’re not against the Joshco project but we want them to first address the issues that we raised before.
“As for the land invasions and shacks being built there, we are totally against it and we will not allow it as well,” said Mamaregane.
He claimed that there were people who were selling land illegally there and charging people an exorbitant amount of money to occupy that land which did not even belong to them.
Details: Irene Rugheimer 072 409 6594.
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