Mooibank residents receive a two week extension

The acting municipal spokesperson, Jeanette Tshite confirmed this morning, March 31, that the residents of Mooibank will move within the next 14 days and not today.

“We have a meeting today to get further feedback from the team led by the Speaker on the way forward regarding the Mooibank move,” she said.

According to another source, who asked not to be named, it was  announced in Wednesday’s, March 30,  Special Council meeting that the they will be moved to Klipdrift.

“There are around 11 farmers’ cattle grazing on that piece of property at the present moment,” she said. She added that the farmers recently learned about the municipality’s plans and they are furious. 

Mooibank residents have been up in arms since learning they were due to be evicted no later than Friday, March 31. On Tuesday, March 28, residents gathered outside council chambers demanding answers.

Residents also submitted a letter of their demands to the municipality on Tuesday. 

WATCH: MOOIBANK RESIDENTS SEEK CLARITY ON EVICTION

According to the residents, before recently finding out about the latest update, the last information they had about the eviction was when they were told that they must be evicted by January 31, 2023.

Initially, the J.B. Marks Municipality’s application to remove the occupiers from part of the land was already granted in March 2021, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic’s state of disaster, this order was lifted. After the state of calamity passed, occupiers still remained.

However, on Thursday, March 9, an order was issued in the Mmabatho High Court which required that the illegal land occupiers  must be removed from the area on or before March 31.

The national and provincial departments of agriculture and rural development agreed to the order. It is currently the Potchefstroom Agricultural College that uses the land in Mooibank.

Residents however, say they were not aware of the new eviction order and that they do not accept the court order.

This is a developing story.