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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mangaung has halted the plans of the Metro to relocate land invaders to Lourierpark in Bloemfontein by securing a court interdict.
The Executive Mayor of Mangaung Metro Cllr. Gregory Nthatisi announced on Monday that the City has identified parcels of land to move residents to. He said during the media briefing, Mangaung Metro has consulted with a number of stakeholders to ensure a smooth process and that only the rightful and deserving residents are moved.
“The Metro has engaged extensively to find solutions to the current situation and as a result, we have identified parcels of land where residents can be relocated. The municipality is working tirelessly to ensure that residents without accommodation are allocated sites with access to basic services including water,” said the Executive Mayor Nthatisi.
The DA in the City pronounced today that they secured a High Court interdict preventing the municipality from going ahead with preparing land for the land invaders.
According to DA Councillor in Mangaung Greg van Noord, the High Court has issued an order directing the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality to immediately refrain from any further land preparation or settlement activities pending the outcome of this matter.
Cllr. Van Noord said this includes the scraping, grading or levelling of land, the demarcation of sites, the installation of any municipal services or ablution facilities, and the settlement of any persons on the affected properties in Bloemfontein Extensions 288 and 148, as well as adjacent land in the vicinity of Lourierpark.
He said the court has further directed the municipality to file its answering affidavit by 17 February 2026, with the matter set down for further hearing on 5 March 2026.
“This court order is a critical intervention to prevent the creation of yet another un-serviced informal settlement in Mangaung, where 52 such settlements already exist, and where residents have been waiting for basic services for years after being settled in a similar unlawful manner by the ANC-led municipality.
The DA approached the High Court to uphold the rule of law, protect vulnerable residents, and prevent the reckless placement of people on land without bulk services, lawful township establishment, or proper planning. Dumping people on vacant land does not constitute housing and only deepens long-term service-delivery failures and human suffering.
We will continue to pursue this matter to ensure that housing delivery in Mangaung is lawful, dignified, and sustainable, and that the municipality respects court orders. We remain committed to protecting communities, defending constitutional governance, and ensuring that Mangaung does not repeat the costly mistakes of the past,” said Cllr Greg van Noord.
