The continued construction of illegal structures and unlawful occupation of land in Pretoria are placing additional strain on already stretched municipal resources, making it increasingly difficult for the Tshwane metro to provide sustainable housing solutions to residents.

This warning was issued by the MMC for Human Settlements, Alderman Aaron Maluleka, during a recent oversight visit to the Koekemoer Informal Settlement in Centurion, where he met with residents to discuss housing and service delivery challenges affecting the community.

Maluleka said the uncontrolled expansion of informal settlements across the city remains a growing concern, with the erection of illegal structures and unlawful land occupation contributing significantly to the increase in informal settlements.

“The uncontrolled growth of informal settlements makes it increasingly difficult for the city to plan effectively and sustainably deliver services,” he said.

The Koekemoer Informal Settlement originated on a farm that was occupied by farm workers and has gradually expanded over time.

During the engagement with the MMC, residents expressed concerns about the lack of permanent services in the area and appealed to the municipality to provide infrastructure such as sewer connections, piped water, and government-subsidised housing opportunities.

Responding to these concerns, Maluleka explained that the settlement is located on privately owned land, which limits what the municipality can legally do in terms of development and infrastructure provision.

According to Maluleka, the metro is unable to undertake permanent development projects on privately owned land, despite recognising the challenges faced by residents.

“The city cannot undertake permanent development projects on privately owned land. While we understand the challenges faced by residents, municipal investment in permanent infrastructure and housing developments can only take place on land that is legally available for such purposes,” he said.

He added that the metro continues to provide rudimentary services to residents living in informal settlements while broader human settlements solutions are explored within the limits of legislation and available resources.

Maluleka further urged residents not to occupy land unlawfully or erect structures without the necessary authorisation, saying such actions complicate the metro’s efforts to address housing needs in a planned and sustainable manner.

The MMC noted that Pretoria currently has 502 informal settlements that receive rudimentary municipal services.

He said the municipality remains committed to improving living conditions through lawful, planned, and sustainable human settlements programmes.

Maluleka said the metro continues to work with relevant stakeholders to address housing challenges across Pretoria while balancing legal requirements, available land, and limited resources.

“The visit formed part of the city’s ongoing efforts to engage communities directly on service delivery-related challenges and to explore solutions that support sustainable human settlements development across Tshwane.”

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