City planning reports back on illegal land use
The Polokwane Municipality continues to deal with illegal land use within the municipal area and inhabitants of three of the 16 investigated illegal land investigations have received notice to vacate the land.
POLOKWANE – In the council meeting held on July 28, a report was brought forth by the city planning and property management department on how they are handling the illegal land use issue within the municipal area.
According to the report, most of the land being used illegal is used for accommodation, followed by businesses and lastly for industrial purposes. The erven are situated mostly along Buite Street with a few in Boom Street, Ivydale, Seshego and Nirvana.
The city planning and property management departmental manager, Edwin Shika, as quoted in the report says the spatial planning and development portfolio committee resolved earlier in the year to report monthly to council on all reported illegal land use and the progress made there.
The municipality carries out routine inspections on properties or conducts investigations following any alleged illegal land use reports.
Procedure dictates that there needs to be site inspection to confirm illegal land use, then a first notice will be issued and the usual time allowed for compliance is seven days before a second notice is issued if land is not ceased. After that the matter will then be referred to legal services for legal action and the council’s attorneys will then launch civil proceedings against the offender to interdict squatters from continuing with the unauthorised use.
