Ward Councillor refuses to accept auction of municipal apartments
She said she would not accept these cruel actions that were upsetting the vulnerable individuals in the community. “It was made very clear that Msibi was instructed by council to have his Department of Human Settlements compile a report after visiting these residents. Only once this report was tabled, council would have made a decision.”
Tenants of the 50 Umjindi Municipal-owned apartments in Barberton, of whom approximately 90% are pensioners or indigents, may soon be without roofs over their heads. This after a notice to alienate these flats was handed over to them on Wednesday August 12. According to the notice, signed by municipal manager Patrick Msibi, the properties will be sold on public auction on August 26, but not if DA ward councillor Elsabé Jacobs can do anything about the matter. “I will do everything in my power to put a stop to it,” she said.
On Friday afternoon Barberton Times met with Jacobs for an interview in one of the streets where some of the flats are situated. A bakkie stopped there and workmen got out with huge posters announcing the auction in large red letters. Jacobs immediately prohibited them from erecting the placard and a fierce debate arose before the men decided to depart.
“A while back I personally visited each of these houses and spoke to the tenants. Apart from a few which are rented by municipal workers, at least 90% are indigents or pensioners whose sole income consists of a state pension of R1 400. Some of these elderly people are in their 80s and have resided in their flats for more than 20 years. The DA was not notified of this decision,” said Jacobs. According to a council decision that was taken in 2010, the rent on these properties was charged at 10% of the tenants’ income.
Although the notice also reads that “all tenants will have to enter into new agreements with the new management or the potential buyer of the flats after the auction”, this does not console them at all. “We don’t know what will happen when the new owners of the flats increase the rent as it is already a struggle to survive. Worse will be if we are told to vacate – I have nowhere to go,” one of the elderly tenants told this publication.
“I am surprised Msibi has such slight knowledge of how to handle the selling of government property and at this stage I question his capability as a MM. It seems to me that all they know is how to run around like headless chickens, passing the buck to everyone but themselves and take no responsibility or accountability for their actions. If the Department of Human Settlements messes up, it remains the responsibility of the MM,” said Jacobs.
She said she would not accept these cruel actions that were upsetting the vulnerable individuals in the community. “It was made very clear that Msibi was instructed by council to have his Department of Human Settlements compile a report after visiting these residents. Only once this report was tabled, council would have made a decision,” Jacobs added.
It was also brought under the attention of Barberton Times that a businessman visited a block of these flats on Tuesday, informing the tenants he would be buying the properties. This instilled more fear in the hearts of the elderly. It was also brought under the newspaper’s attention that some of the tenants did not receive notices.
“The council did not even debate this matter yet they dare to go ahead without consulting the community or the ward councillor about the auction. I had to deal with more than 15 tenants who phoned me or came to my office in tears, all of them fearing for their futures,” she said.
Jacobs, who is also owner and principal of Umjindi Properties, said the municipality was breaching the Rental Act. She said the Speaker, Vusi Mkhatshwa, gave her the assurance on Thursday that the MM had made an error and that the matter would be dealt with the following week.
“My question is why can these premises not be enrolled with human settlements national as a project and let these indigent tenants be handed over title deeds? Surely, they are all entitled to a roof over their heads like many others. All races are affected by this and we look at plus minus 120 people that might end up with no accommodation.
“Should they not abide with the Rental Act and the PIE Act (Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act), my last step will be a court order to stop them from going ahead,” she said.
In the meantime, Jacobs requested the residents to remain calm and phone her immediately, should they become aware of any auction boards on the properties. She promised she would try her best to communicate all new developments to the tenants.
