LEBOHANG – Illegal squatters are still building on private property and nobody seems to want to take responsibility for the situation.

The Echo tried to reach the spokesman of the Department of Human Settlement, but was passed from one person to the next and could not get hold of the spokesman.

The newspaper asked the marketing and communications manager of Govan Mbeki Municipality, Mr Henry Masango, why the municipality must wait for the squatters to build shacks first before they can remove them and he said: “The municipality cannot evict people who are squatting on private land, it is obligatory that the owners of the said properties approach the courts for an order to remove these illegal occupants.

“The municipality has alerted those farm owners about their transgression of the land use scheme which zoned those properties for agricultural use and failure to correct that will lead to an imposition of a sanction.”

Some of the lander owners already opened cases at the police.

One said he has to drive from Secunda to Lebohang three times weekly to tell the squatters that it is his property and ask them to move.

“These squatters are under the impression that it is municipal land and that the municipality will provide them with water and electricity and services later,” said the land owner.

According to Mr Masango the municipality cannot do anything as the land does not belong to them.

Mr Bosman Grobler, MPL and DA spokeman for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, said: “The ANC refuses to act against illegal land invasions in the Govan Mbeki municipal area.

“The ANC used its majority in the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature on Friday, 4 July to defeat a DA motion calling for Premier David Mabuza to immediately intervene in the illegal land invasions taking place in the Govan Mbeki municipal area.

“Over the past two weeks, illegal land invasions which were allegedly prompted by an anonymous donation of portion 40 of Watervalshoek No 350, have been taking place in the municipality.

“As the area is not well marked, neighbouring portions 37, 39, 41 and 44 of Watervalshoek No 350 have been invaded.

Land invaders are now demarcating stands on both the alleged donated land as well as the neighbouring private land.

“Premier Mabuza has on several occasions condemned land invasions and has spoken out strongly in favour of protecting land rights.

“It is therefore surprising that the ANC ruled against a motion calling for the protection of land owners, this while the premier sat idly watching from the side lines.

“There is no formal documentation available as to whom the donor of portion 40 is and whether the donation is indeed valid.

“As such, the DA calls on Premier Mabuza to launch an urgent investigation into this donation so as to streamline the process and halt the illegal invasion of neighbouring land.

“The ANC-led provincial government must realise that it is important to act promptly against illegal land invasions so that they do not create a precedent of illegal invasions throughout the province.

“The failure to do this almost always results in people being evicted from their houses and left without alternative accommodation.

“Access to land remains a key issue with the people of Mpumalanga and the DA fully supports legal and fair land reform and land restitution.

“When in government, we will accelerate reform and restitution efforts so that everyone gains access to enough land for their individual purposes.”