Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Confusion over vacant land in Gugulethu
6 Land was bought years ago by businessmen
CONTROVERSY over the ownership of a tract of land in Gugulethu has caused bad blood between its owners and the protesting backyarders who have illegally occupied it.
More than 200 people have occupied the vacant land, claiming it belongs to the community and they expect the government to build them houses on it.
According to local businessman Peter Motale, the land went to tender and he and his partners legallyacquired it under the company name of Chriswell Beleggings Pty Ltd in 1997.
“We used this name because during apartheid, black people were not allowed to buy and own land, so we had to use a white name to acquire the land,” he said.
Documents at the deeds office indicate the land was sold by Motale to Chriswell Beleggings Pty Ltd on April 10, 1997 for R173 450.
Motale and his two partners, Sam Dube and the late Mandla Tshabalala, own Chriswell Beleggings.
Motale originally bought the land for R167 150 from the city on April 27,1989.
Motale has challenged anyone claiming he and his partners did not legally acquire the land to “come forward with the proof or take us to court”.
According to Motale, he’d left 18 erven (8 200m2) vacant with the aim of building flats and creating jobs for the community.
Mayor Patricia De Lille attempted to meet and negotiate with the land owners but could not enter negotiations with Motale and his partners as the illegal occupation of the land was before the High Court.
According to De Lille’s spokesperson, Xolani Koyana, Motale had indicated that the land had been earmarked for the development of rental units.
Motale denied selling the land to his own company. He also denied the city had attempted to negotiate with him regarding the land.
“The city called us and wanted to find out what our plans for the land were. They had not made an offer. Nobody had. If anyone comes to us with a lucrative offer for the land we would sell it,” he said.
Protests in the area began in the middle of last month when a group of people identified several plots for occupation in Gugulethu near NY1. Later shacks were erected on a section of open field, but theses were demolished by the authorities.
According to the Department of Human Settlements, a housing project of more than 500 houses is to be built in Gugulethu as soon as a contractor is appointed. Ntomboxolo Somdaka, spokesperson for Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela, said the provincial housing backlog was estimated at 575 000 while the city’s housing backlog was 345 000. asanda.sokanyile@inl. co.za