City targets ‘unlawful invaders’ at Rietfontein
THE City of Joburg’s service delivery to informal settlement residents in Lenasia remains a mystery to the community.
Despite providing water tanks, Pikitup service and earmarking electrical connection points inside households, the city is still unleashing its legal unit on the community.
According to court applications seen by The Star, the city has identified the residents as “Unlawful invaders of the remaining extent of erf 129 farm 301 Rietfontein”.
The issue of land and ownership of the area has been widely debated in the past, with a group of farmers in the vicinity claiming to have bought the land from the city decades ago.
The city has since identified several areas in the south of Joburg as “hot spots” for land invasion. These include Ennerdale, Lenasia, Unaville, Vlakfontein, Rietfontein and Eikenhof as they possess large pieces of vacant land.
The Star has learnt the area was in the process of being formalised and turned into a township. Attached to the court applications are sketches of the township plan.
However, the city has since served eviction notices to the residents and taken them to court.
Residents of the area have accused the city of ambushing them and calling Red Ants and other law enforcement agencies when they least expect it.
The Star has seen a court order granting the city permission to demolish any structure erected on the land.
“The sheriff and the applicant (City of Joburg) is authorised to seek the assistance of the SAPS and JMPD (Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department), in giving effect to the grant relief granted.”
The court order states that the residents are interdicted from completing any partially erected structure on the property, and “delivering, assisting to deliver or supplying any building material at the property and soliciting or instigating any person to act in contravention of this order”.
The court order also indicates should the city be unable to determine a structure was never occupied, it may not demolish or give instruction for that particular structure to be demolished without a specific court order.
The city’s spokesperson, Nthatisi Modingoane, said the City of Johannesburg had no information on upgrades of the informal settlement or related information on the provision of electrical services to the Rietfontein informal settlement.
“City Power has never held any meeting with the community ... Any connection that has or will be made will be regarded as illegal, and as such proper actions to cut off the illegal connections will be taken,” he said.
Modingoane clarified that the city’s Department of Human Settlements was currently working on 30 informal settlements.
They are Mofolo North, Heavenly Valley, Kya Sands, Princess, Naledi 1, Triangle, Meriteng, Stjwetla, St Mary’s 1 and 2, Thembelihle, Rugby Club, Volta17 / Precast, Eikenhof, Zandspruit, Matholesville School Site, Bottom Compound, Lilly’s Bioskop, Patsing/Veggieland/Nana’s Farm, Kliptown, Tshepisong, Slovo Park, Protea South, Vukani, Organic Market, Alex Ward 107, Amarasta, Iphutheng, Mazibuko Park, Drieziek Extension 5 taxi rank and Hospital Hills.
Modingoane added the JMPD had not effected any eviction order.
“To our knowledge, land grab was stopped at the weekend when people started demarcating stands,” he said.