Ekurhuleni fires first salvo in land debate
Metro eyes four areas in city for expropriation
For Rivos Mashaba, living in a fully serviced area might become reality after the Ekurhuleni municipality resolved to expropriate the privately owned land he has occupied.
The 60-year-old has lived in the Lindelani informal settlement in Benoni for almost three decades.
The land on which the settlement was built was identified as one of four properties to be expropriated by the municipality in a bid to roll out services to communities.
Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina said the move would test the limits of section 25 of the constitution.
He said Ekurhuleni has identified four properties whose owners have relinquished their property ownership rights and responsibilities. He said the city plans to immediately develop and establish townships on the pieces of land.
Lindelani is located on Kingsway Road and has about 200 informal structures and thousands of residents.
The settlement has been plagued by sporadic service delivery protests as residents claim that they only get attention when elections approach.
There are no tarred roads and electricity.
“I feel like this place will be better if the government takes it because it will be able to provide us with the services we need. We will have roads, electricity and proper sewerage systems,” Mashaba said.
The settlement was established when people were relocated from Apex township in Benoni as they illegally occupied the land on which development was due to take place.
The other three properties are located in Germiston and Elandsfontein.
Tiziana Plaskitt, a DA ward councillor, said the municipality has expressed intentions of building a block of low-cost flats on the property.
The property is adjacent to the municipal land set aside for the construction of a taxi rank.
“We have a problem with the decision to expropriate this land for human settlement purposes because it’s on a business site. It [the land] does not cater for building homes,” Plaskitt said.
She said it would be wiser to find land for development rather than use one that was in a business district.
“There are no schools near that area, the infrastructure is old and it is more expensive to buy because of its location,” Plaskitt said.
Asked who the owners of the properties were, Phakamile Mbengashe, Masina’s spokesperson, said they could not release the details of the owners.
“We have to follow due process including publishing notices and where owners are known, delivering such notices. Council has announced that the city will, in principle, proceed subject to compliance with applicable prescripts,” Mbengashe said.