Kya Sands Informal Settlement resident refuses to be intimidated
How efficient is Buya Mthetho Operation? Kya Sands Informal Settlement resident breaks his silence.
The ongoing Buya Mthetho (Bring Back The Law) Operation conducted by the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has frequently been conducted within the Bloubosrand area of Kya Sands Informal Settlement this year.
The operation aims to demolish illegally built structures and remove occupants on illegally occupied land.
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Residents of the Kya Sands Informal Settlement that borders the provincial property that is currently being illegally occupied feared reprisals from the land invaders if they spoke on the record to the Sun.
The illegal land invasion has been an uncontrollable issue in this area even after multiple operations that were conducted this year, but the JMPD continues to clamp down on this issue as they collaborate with local private security companies so that they have ample hands to help them break down the incomplete structures.
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On May 23 the JMPD conducted the Buya Mthetho Operation where 17 galvanized zinc shacks and 34 brick and mortar unoccupied structures were demolished and removed.
On July 30 the JMPD removed and demolished eight zinc shacks and 35 brick and mortar structures. More recently, on September 1, they removed and demolished 24 unoccupied zinc shacks and half-built illegal structures but despite this, a return visit showed that the structures had been rebuilt.
This has added to the panic and fear of residents of the informal settlement.
Following the illegal land invaders’ blatant defiance of JMPD, the Randburg Sun went to the area and spoke to members of the community who shared their frustration. Many residents refused to speak on the record for fear of reprisals except for one resident, Joseph Mataboge.
“Here we’ve got a problem of these illegal structures and these people that are just occupying land illegally. JMPD have tried to take them out but some of them have come back again. Immediately after JMPD left they went back and rebuilt their structures,” said Mataboge.
He said this illegal land invasion problem that they faced, was taking away from them and the municipality’s plans for the community.
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“I think the JMPD needs to come back and remove them again.”
Mataboge and other Kya Sand Informal Settlement community members shared their frustration around the illegal land invasion matter and how it brought a lot of crime to their community which they did not like.
