SALGA condemns land invasion in Bloemfontein

SALGA condemns land invasion in Bloemfontein

The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in the Free State has come out to condemn the illegal land occupation currently taking place in the Southern suburbs in Lourierpark, Bloemfontein, saying they undermine efforts to create sustainable human settlements.

 SALGA says it acknowledges the socio-economic challenges faced by the residents of Mangaung Metro, however, illegal land occupation have long-term consequences, especially regarding service delivery on communities.

The Association says illegal land occupation disrupts urban planning and development, hindering municipalities’ ability to provide essential services such as water, sanitation, electricity, and housing.  SALGA says these actions also undermine efforts to create sustainable human settlements and worsen infrastructure strain, leading to increased service delivery backlogs.

“SALGA recognises the need for urgent and comprehensive solutions to address the root causes of illegal land occupation. We call on all stakeholders, including government at all levels, traditional leaders, civil society, and communities, to work together to find sustainable solutions that prioritise social justice, urban development, and service delivery.

We reaffirm our commitment to supporting Mangaung Metro Municipality in its efforts to provide adequate housing and basic services to all residents. We urge communities to engage constructively with the municipality and other stakeholders to find legal and sustainable solutions to land and housing challenges, said Cllr Bongani Lawrence Mathae, the SALGA Free State Chairperson.

Mangaung Metro has since applied for a court interdict to remove the land invaders and has since condemned the act of illegal land occupation.

The Executive Mayor of Mangaung Metro Cllr. Gregory Nthatisi, condemned the sporadic land grabs taking place across the City. He visited the site where people were invading land, allegedly through the instructions of four ANC Councillors to disrupt the DA led ward.

Nthatisi told the media that the Metro’s Human Settlement directorate is attending to the matter and is working closely with the police to prevent people from erecting structures.

“We understand the plight of the people, they need access to land but the illegal land grabs will not be tolerated. We are awaiting legal advice and that will determine the next steps the City will take to stop the spread of these invasions,” said the Executive Mayor Gregory Nthatisi.

administrator

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *