Municipality makes plans to put a stop to illegal communes

This report was tabled in council recently, summarising the reports by the Department of Development Planning and Human Settlements, on infringements in Barry Hertzog Park.

March 25, 2017

Quinton Boucher 1 minute read

A property in Barry Hertzog Park was found to be home to 37 people, during an inspection in January.

BARRY HERTZOG – The municipality has completed a survey on illegal student communes.

This report was tabled in council recently, summarising the reports by the Department of Development Planning and Human Settlements, on infringements in Barry Hertzog Park.

Notices have been served to those violating the Town Planning Scheme.

“Perpetrators will be prosecuted in line with the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act by-laws and the Town Planning Scheme combined, which will result in a court interdict,” the meeting agenda read.

A copy of the Communal Policy has been redistributed to councillors.

The former week-long period for immediate seizure of illegal activity has been relaxed to 30 days, and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) called for this to be extended further, and for a meeting with land owners, indunas and the municipality.

This was due to the lack of compliance, EFF councillors stated.

Sister paper, the Newcastle Sun reported this week notices were served to communal home owners in Barry Hertzog Park this month, according to Director of Town Planning, Ntsiki Khathide.

She stated the municipality was not ignoring the matter, and was finding a solution.

“Officials [from the department] are doing random site inspections in the area, to identify more illegal conversion of dwellings to student residences.”

Any person who uses land for anything outside its zonal regulation, without municipal consent, was guilty of a fine or even a prison sentence.

Students who made use of the communes would not be evicted, she emphasised.

“Our obligation is to the owner of the property, who holds the full title to the property, and receives municipal services. It is not the intention of the municipality to evict students or people.”