Ward 110 councillor confirms removal of land invaders in Halfway House
Ward 110 councillor Angelina Mphaho said she will be working closely with MMC of Development Planning Eunice Mgcina to deal with illegal land invaders that have plagued her ward.
Midrand Ward 110 councillor Angelina Mphaho is on a crusade to remove illegal land invaders.
In the latest invasion, the illegal occupiers had settled on the open land near K101 just after the shopping centre.
Mphaho said the invaders were removed with the support of Development Planning MMC Eunice Mgcina and her officials, and JMPD were also involved.
Speaking at a Sector 1 Crime Forum meeting at Midrand Chapel in Glen Austin on March 11, Mphaho said, “Last week [March 7], we were with the MMC of Development Planning, tackling the issues of people who live next to the Gautrain. We have managed to remove all those people.”
However, she added that these people had moved to open land on the corner of K101 and Allandale Road. So the focus had now shifted to removing these invaders from this site and others from the corner of K101 and Le Roux Avenue, and the intersection of West and Boxer roads in Glen Austin AH.
Mgcina said, “We are going to leave no stone unturned to attend to all these issues that concern our built environment and their future existences. The city belongs to all of us and we must work hard to resolve all issues that pertain to development planning so that we can attract investment and create economic development for the residents.”
JMPD police spokesperson Xolani Fihla said, “There are municipal by-laws that empower JMPD to do the relevant enforcement by removing illegal structures erected in the city, and this must be done within the ambits of the relevant legislation.”.
The City’s Public Open Space By-Laws state: ‘No person may within a public open space, erect, build or assemble any structure, including a hut, tent, screen, bulletin board, pole, stand or stage’ and ‘No person may within a public open space, camp or reside within a public open space.’
Gauteng Department of Human Settlements spokesperson Tahir Sema said, “These invasions also pose a danger to the invaders, as is the case for those who invade wetlands or land near busy roads and railway lines. Appropriate action should be taken against those who invade the land and break the law, by the relevant authorities”.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/313567/councillor-speaks-on-issues-in-ward-110/
