Land ownership probe
Residents claim EMLM mayor’s house built on land owned by tennis club
The confusion about the property ownership of the Sterkstroom Lawn Tennis Club prompted the town’s residents to open a criminal case against Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) mayor Luleka Gubula, who currently occupies a portion of the land, on Sunday.
A large group of Sterkstroom residents held a meeting to discuss ways in which they would go about ensuring the tennis club property was not illegally occupied, especially by people in positions of power.
Sterkstroom community leader Thandisizwe Mxatha said after numerous community meetings about the occupation of a piece of land by the EMLM mayor, they had decided to gather information to find out who the land belonged to.
“We managed to get a map of the tennis club property to confirm the mayor’s house location We decided to open a case of land theft because we believe she is occupying the land illegally and we thought the matter was of public interest.
“The information we have indicates the title deed owner is the Sterkstroom Lawn Tennis Club This is very upsetting because she is a leader who is supposed to guard against land theft,” said Mxatha.
He said community members wanted the mayor to step aside while investigations into the matter unfolded, because they were afraid she would manipulate the system from within the municipality to favour her shenanigans.
“We will write to the municipality about the matter because we would like it to be discussed at council level and a decision be taken.”
The Rep understands that the Sterkstroom Lawn Tennis Club is made up of six erven illegally sold by a Nkwanca Local Municipality official, who is now deceased, for R50,00 a plot since 2008.
The tennis club purchased the erven from a private person’s estate in 1935 and the municipality had nothing to do with the sale thereof, and therefore could not lay claim to the property.
Speaking about the history of the tennis club, Sandra Prins, wife of the mayor in the 1980s, said her husband had been a member of the club and they did not remember the land being transferred to the municipality, ever.
“After many years of playing tennis at the club, operations stopped and the trustees sold the clubhouse and donated the funds to the few churches that existed at the time — about 20 to 35 years ago,” she recalled.
“The tennis courts and rest of the lawn was unoccupied for many years and my husband and I do not remember it being sold to anyone, especially not the municipality. Years went by and we started seeing buildings being erected without any prior building inspection,” said Prins.
EMLM mayor Luleka Gubula said she bought erf 437 on Sichel Street in 2011 from the municipality and paperwork to confirm the sale was available.
“I am the owner of that property. I was not in the employ of the municipality when I bought it. If there is any investigation underway let it continue, but as yet I have not been consulted by the police,” she said.
Police spokesperson captain Namhla Mdleleni confirmed a case of illegal occupation of land had been opened and that no arrests had been made yet.