Municipalities must apply laws, deal with land grabs – Nkwinti

MUNICIPALITIES were told yesterday to use laws to deal with land grabs which have recently become a headache for the ANC government.

Rural Development Minister Gugile Nkwinti was stern as he reminded municipalities not to neglect responsibility in their jurisdiction.

He assured municipalities that regulations outlined in the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act would go a long way towards resolving the land-grab problem.

“Every space in the municipality is under your responsibility.

“Anyone who breaks that law will be your responsibility. If you allow people to grab land, we are in trouble,” Nkwinti said.

He was speaking on the last day of the SA Local Government Association assembly in Midrand yesterday.

The act gives power to local gov- ernments to manage and regulate the use of their own land.

This means even the provincial and national governments would have to seek approval from the council tribunal which municipalities must set up before July 6 when the amended chapter comes into effect.

Nkwinti emphasised that the intention was to bridge the racial divide in spatial terms and transform the country’s settlement patterns.

Salga deputy chairman Mpho Nawa said municipalities would be strict on what was built in their jurisdiction.

Nkwinti did not pull any punches as he complained that municipal officials were failing to enforce bylaws.

He cited Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality as an example, saying the metro was “doing nothing about cows roaming the streets”.

“My municipality doesn’t want to apply bylaws. This is what it’s about.”