Public works begins massive eviction drive

The provincial public works department has issued a public notice asking tenants who have illegally occupied, “stolen” property or failed to pay rent to vacate the premises before the end of the month.

This is the department’s way of acting on MEC Babalo Madikizela’s promise to “reinforce” lease agreements and rid government-owned buildings of illegal occupants.

The notice listed 38 properties and erven as either illegally occupied or with tenants who had failed to pay rent.

The department said eviction proceedings would begin “without further notice”.

In the notice, which names the occupants and their addresses, the department says it will serve eviction notices on June 30.

The notice was published in the Dispatch on Wednesday and lists properties in Marrian’s Drift, Peddie, several farms in Reeston, and properties in Hamburg, Alice, Dutywa, Centani and Butterworth.

“Your continued occupation is thus illegal and you must vacate within 30 days unless the department pursuant to you making arrangements changes its decision,” reads the notice, which was signed by a legal practitioner from Mvuzo Notyesi

Inc.

“Urgently contact 047-5314714 or the department of public works directly,” it said.

The department has faced numerous illegal occupations of its buildings in the province.

The Daily Dispatch reported in May that the provincial government had reached a settlement agreement with a private company over the Amatola Sun Hotel in Bhisho.

The building was illegally occupied for years.

Provincial public works spokesperson Vuyokazi Mbanjwa said the public notice was prompted by various factors, including tenants’ refusal to pay market-related rent.

She said those whose names

In the notice, which names the occupants and their addresses, the department says it will serve eviction notices on June 30

were on the notice should liaise with the department’s legal team.

“This is in line with MEC Babalo Madikizela’s budget and policy speech for the 2020/2021 financial year, tabled a week ago, about the plan to recover ‘stolen’ state property or to deal with illegal occupants of state property”.

Madikizela said the department would rope in the state attorney’s services to help “reinforce the conditions of lease agreements and illegal occupations”.

Mbanjwa said this process had started in Mthatha and East London.

“In the current financial year, the department will roll it out to the rest of the province,” she said.

“The policy and budget speech also states that in 2020/2021 financial year the department will launch the provincial chapter of Operation Bring Back, through which it will investigate any potential illegal disposals.”

She would not say how much the tenants owed the department.