The Gauteng Department of Local Government and Housing with the City of Ekurhuleni moved in to evict people who illegally occupied serviced stands at Thinasonke in Zonkezizwe. The red ants were called in to remove the non-qualifying occupants from the serviced stands.
“I am making a call to all Gauteng citizens to respect the rule of law. We are aware that housing is central to our people’s needs, but we will not allow law breakers a chance to steal our land and houses which only serves to disadvantage and rob rightful beneficiaries of our housing programmes”, said MEC Ntombi Mekgwe, MEC for Local Government and Housing in Gauteng.
In an on-going government commitment to eradicate informal settlements, the Department of Local Government and Housing serviced stands in the area and people who qualified were moved to their rightful stands. This process of allocating serviced stands also picked out non-qualifiers, who do not meet the department’s criteria of people who qualify for RDP houses.
This group of people decided to move in illegally into the serviced stands, and as a department we could not allow this lawlessness. “We had to move in swiftly so that we don’t face unnecessary court cases to fight their removals. The court cases are time and money consuming, “said Mekgwe.
MEC Mekgwe said it was unfortunate that people still continue to use desperate measures to get what is not theirs. “We are not going to allow people to bulldoze their way into serviced stands and houses. They know that there is a process to be followed, but they decided to ignore this and embark on illegal occupations. This is despite the commitment by the department to move them to an identified transit camp,” MEC Mekgwe said”.
For further information contact:
Motsamai Motlhaolwa
Cell: 079 897 2240
E-mail: Motsamai.motlhaolwa@gauteng.gov.za
