TZANEEN – The standoff between the Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM) and Lindor Ondernemings, the owners of the land housing the Tarentaalrand substation, remains unresolved despite ongoing discussions over the past three months.

The legal battle stems from GTM’s occupation of the Tarentaalrand 524 LT property without a formal lease agreement. Lindor Ondernemings took the matter to court, and on March 12, 2023, the Limpopo High Court ruled that GTM must vacate the property by April 12, 2024, and pay compensation for damages resulting from the unlawful occupation.

Since then, settlement negotiations have been underway. A source close to the matter told the Herald that Lindor Ondernemings’ legal representatives, Letsela Nkondo Associates Inc., submitted a settlement proposal to GTM’s lawyers. However, no further dialogue has taken place since the documents were delivered.

The dispute carries serious consequences for local communities, including Nkowankowa, Lenyenye, and Deer Park, that rely on the Tarentaalrand substation for electricity. The uncertainty surrounding the land issue raises concerns about the stability of the power supply in the region.

Some residents have accused the landowners of exploiting the situation to extract excessive compensation from the municipality. However, the source said that while GTM is willing to accept some of the claims, it disputes others. As a result, Lindor Ondernemings has asked the municipality to appoint independent evaluators to conduct their assessments and propose a fair compensation amount.