POLOKWANE – The municipality recently issued a notice to the Johane Masowe Church, a Zimbabwean church in Westenburg, to immediately vacate the land where they hold church services every Sunday, but the church has ignored this notice.
Review can confirm that church services still continue in the veld on the Matlala road adjacent to Westenburg.
The issuing of the municipal notice comes after Westenburg residents complained that the church services were noisy, and they wanted it gone. A resident who lives opposite the church said they were deprived of sleep by the church and their loud music.
“We cannot sleep late on a Sunday morning or take an afternoon nap, because they have a band and the music is very loud.
“They start early in the morning and continue until late afternoon. We tried chasing them away, but the churchgoers refuse and said they are not going anywhere,” the resident explained.
Malesela Maubane, a municipal spokesperson, said after several meetings were held with the church about their continued illegal occupancy of the land, a notice was issued to them to vacate the land with immediate effect as they were not permitted to occupy municipal land.
“Our law enforcement officers will continue patrolling the area to curb all related illegal occupation of municipal land. Continued illegal occupation will leave us no choice but to go the legal route and obtain a court order against these churches.”
To report the illegal occupation of land, the municipality’s community safety section can be contacted at (015) 290 2404, and the land use management can be contacted at (015) 290 2054/71/78/91.
According to municipal bylaws, any person or group intending to establish a church must first apply to the municipality and get approval, but the request must comply with the town planning laws.
