LIMPOPO – A surge in illegal land invasions in Giyani is threatening to derail the Greater Giyani Municipality’s efforts to deliver serviced residential sites to residents.

Currently, the municipality is in the process of servicing 529 residential stands as part of a broader initiative to address a housing backlog that has persisted for more than 30 years.

This long-standing shortage of residential sites has left many residents frustrated and desperate, leading some in various communities to take matters into their own hands by demarcating residential stands without municipal approval.

Despite the municipality’s current efforts to formalise and service the 529 stands, which include the installation of sewer systems, water infrastructure and construction of a road network, the project is now under serious threat.

Opportunistic land grabbers have begun seizing any open land they come across, often under the assumption that the municipality is not acting quickly or decisively enough. These illegal occupations have targeted not only vacant land but also strategically planned areas that have been earmarked for future development, including public infrastructure and community amenities.

The municipality’s seemingly relaxed enforcement approach, including a lack of monitoring system, has inadvertently created an environment where unlawful land occupations flourish, putting the entire residential development plan at risk.

What is even more concerning is that if these illegal occupants are allowed to remain on the land for an extended period, the municipality may eventually lose the legal ability to remove them.

A similar situation occurred in Ma-Tshama-hi-Nkanu, where the municipality recently admitted that it had become nearly impossible to evict individuals who had built their shacks there, due to the length of time they had been occupying the land.

When asked why the municipality had not yet taken action against those involved, municipal spokesperson Steve Mavunda stated that measures were underway to address the issue.

“We will issue contravention letters as a warning, instructing them to vacate the sites,” Mavunda explained, adding that further action could be taken if the contravention letters are ignored.

Mavunda urged residents to refrain from taking land unlawfully, noting that the municipality was working hard to fast-track the servicing of the 529 residential sites.