Government will expropriate land in Midvaal to build houses - MEC Paul Mashatile
“If the delay to get necessary approvals from the Midvaal Council continues and private developers continue to frustrate our officials, we will be left with no other choice but to expropriate the land”.
These are the words of the MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements, Paul Mashatile during his visit in Sicelo Shiceka, in Midvaal Municipality earlier today.
The MEC told the residence of this area that they are not forgotten. He said the land in Midvaal is still in private developers who are reluctant to sell it to government so that the lives of the community can be improved.
“When our officials are planning to buy land from these private developers, they are sent from pillar to post and the municipality also delays the approval of the purchase of the land” said Mashatile
The MEC said he is aware of the challenges like speed humps, sanitation, and electricity, water and storm water drainage, faced by the residents of Sicelo Shiceka. Mashatile said that government had numerous developments in the area that will yield 5000 houses.
Recent data showed that there are 2200 families living in informal settlements in Sicelo.
Mashatile said that he was going to return to the Midvaal municipality and ask the mayor Bongani Baloyi why is the municipality not approving development.
“My other position is the MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs so when then Mayor is not doing something right I will visit him and ask what is happening.”
Mashatile said that he was going to do a sit in Baloyi’s office until he gets answers because he did not want a casual approach towards development.
“When people are suffering and they want houses, we cannot have leadership of our municipalities taking their time, they do not want to approve and tomorrow they blame the government,” he said.
The MEC said that it was a role of municipalities to provide people in informal settlements with temporary toilets but the Midvaal municipality was not doing that and the Department had to take over that role.
Mashatile said that government plans to electrify informal settlements as part servicing and improving lives of the community. The MEC also warned the land invaders that they will never get tittle deeds in a land that they invaded and people who sell their RDP houses will never get another subsidy house from government.
Enquiries:
Keith Khoza
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