Thaba Chweu sells stand for R1

LYDENBURG – Not everyone was pleased with the DA’s recent visit to town.

Mr Samora Mlotjwa feels that he was targeted by the party for the sole reason of him being black.

When the DA provincial leader, Mr Anthony Benadie, councillors and activists recently paid a visit to town they also stopped off at Mlotjwa’s house. They peppered him with questions regarding the apparent sale of his stand for the value of R1.

Mlotjwa said, “Of it being R1, no, it is not the case. If you go back to Mr Surprise Maebela, the corporate service director, all the documents are there. The proof of payment, everything that shows all the monies that have been paid. I would have been really happy if they had given me an invoice for R1.”

On a deed of sale supplied to the newspaper it states; “The purchase price is the sum of R1 and shall be payable as and when the parties agree thereto.

The purchase price will attract VAT as a rate of zero per cent in terms of Section 11(2) (p) of the VAT Act. The seller shall give possession and occupation of the property to the purchaser on the date of transfer on which date the property will be at the sole risk, profit and loss of the purchaser.” The deed of sale was signed by Maebela on behalf of Thaba Chweu Municipality (TCM).

Mlotjwa did not dispute this document, but supplied the newspaper with documents of a deposit paid for the land. A letter written by the chief housing officer also states that the property has been allocated to Mlotjwa under the National Human Settlement Programme.

“The municipality is still awaiting the title deed from the Department of Human Settlements and this may take a longer period. To this end, Mlotjwa may utilise his attorneys to fast-track the process provided that the musicality will not be held liable for the cots involved thereon.”

He told the newspaper the following day after the visit by the party; “I paid a R20 000 deposit for the stand. I connected the water, electricity and sewerage on my own expense. Benadie is a racist. Essack, who is on the land-reform committee, has access to all the information with regard to the sale.

They showed no respect for me rocking up to my house uninvited. The DA wants to use me as a political pawn crying foul over this matter. They only came to me because I am black.”

He said he at first thought that the party had come to his house to recruit him. “If they came to me alone to discuss the matter, it would have been fine, but to bring a whole bus to my premises? No, that is not right. You can quote me on this, they are stupid.”

The DA members said they thought this transaction highly suspicious, and firmly believed that he had managed to secure the property, and quite possibly the service-provision contract, because of his political connections. “There is absolutely no other logical explanation why a municipality, which has a R216-million budget shortfall, would sell off its assets at a value far less than the estimated R380 000 market value.”

TCM did not respond to questions posted with regard to the deed of sale.