BCM turns to court to stop Ginsberg invasion

THE Grahamstown High Court has interdicted a group of people from unlawfully occupying and building dwellings on a large swathe of state-owned land in Ginsberg, King William’s Town.

Buffalo City Metro resorted to court last week on an urgent basis to stop the land invasions, which it said hindered development plans.

Acting metro manager Appana Naidoo said in an affidavit it was made aware of the land invasions in early April, when people began to clear bush, allocate plots and bring in building materials.

“The invasion appears to have been planned, organised and implemented by certain unknown individuals. It is clear the incomplete structures will be completed and further structures will be built on the cleared land.”

Naidoo said there was a pattern of unlawful behaviour.

“This type of land invasion must be halted immediately if the municipality is to continue with its considered and planned rollout of public housing to deserving residents within its areas of jurisdiction. The illegal action of the respondents has a negative effect on efforts of [BCM] to fulfil its constitutional obligation to provide housing.”

He said that where illegal invasions were not halted the socio-economic conditions in such unserviced areas deteriorated rapidly with potentially catastrophic health and other consequences.

BCM was often compelled to provide necessities such as water and sanitation to illegal occupants who then remained on the land and demanded housing.

“The effect of agreeing to this demand is that funds that may become available to the planned housing project in Ginsberg will have to be reallocated to try and accommodate an illegal invasion. This is to the detriment of the deserving residents who are on the waiting list, whose housing project will then have to be suspended indefinitely.”

Naidoo said the metro had a huge housing backlog with about 70 000 people on housing waiting lists in various areas.

Part of Ginsberg had been earmarked for a housing project and funding was being applied for via the human settlements department.

Judge Gerald Bloem last week declared the occupation unlawful and interdicted the group of unnamed people from moving onto the land or building on it.

He has given those involved in the occupation until May 22 to show why the interim interdict should not be made final.