The dispute over the land at the Soweto Country Club in Pimville Zone 5, stand number 11206 continues. It seems that the community had reserved the land for their own developments that would benefit the community at large, but currently, there are bond houses being built on the same land.
According to Frans Riet, the organizer of the Soweto Country Club’s task team, it all started in 2014 during their community youth development program when a certain white man came with huge trucks and tractors threatening to demolish the clubhouse as he alleged that the land belongs to him.
“But as far as we know as Sowetans, this land belongs to the people of Soweto and we have proved in black and white,” said Riet.
“When we investigated, we found that this man was actually meant to demolish the land at Diepkloof hostel and this land was a replacement. We are therefore fighting for our land without violence,” he added.”
“The Soweto Country Club is the only country club in Soweto, now why would our government allow a single man to destroy the only golf course we have in a black township?, “said Riet.
The Soweto Country Club’s task team alleged that they have been seeking for answers and a way to protect their land, they have knocked on almost every relevant door but still couldn’t find help.
They ended up asking for help from a Member of Parliament Tshepo Mhlongo who is also in sports to assist them in resolving this issue.
“I believe that ownership is very important and thus these residents have the right to know who owns this piece land. There is no documentation in the City of Johannesburg of a swap of ownership from Diepkloof to this land,” said Mhlongo.”
“Typically, when a piece of land is sold, we are expecting to see evaluators, but not in this case, we never saw any evaluators.
“Another thing is that this is a huge stand but the purchasing price is too low, something is not right here,” he added.
“It is clear that the previous government did not have a land audit for their land, we, therefore, urge the city of Joburg to audit the land,” he said.
Since 2000 the land was owned by the City of Joburg, but lately, it goes from one owner to another. In a period of less than a month, the documentation that was shown to us by the task team indicates that there has been a change of ownership.
Last year June the ownership was changed to Ivory Tusk Consortium Pty Ltd and the same year, 2017 the ownership changed and it is now Proprop Construction & Civils Pty Ltd.
“Every development in a community is expected to be in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP). There are currently bond houses being built on the land, however, there is no sign or board that indicates that there is a development taking place. Why is that? Were the houses really planned?
Asked why there is no board one of the workers at the site alleged that it was initially there but some residents destroyed it and they are still waiting for a new one.
Fighting for their land without any violence the community signed and submitted a petition to object the development that is currently taking place at their sports facility, according to Mhlongo plus minus 200 residents signed the petition.
