Human settlement department MEC, Mr Speedy Mashilo, gave feedback about land issues to Leandra residents at their taxi rank on Tuesday, August 6.
The MEC introduced a developer that his department has appointed for developing the procured land for the Leandra community.
He said the developer will be responsible for the new Ext 28 development on the land that Anglo Ashante donated to the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
“Govan Mbeki Municipality has the title deed of the land that was donated by Anglo Ashante, and that is why we are developing that particular land.
“This land will give us 3 647 sites of which will include 3 633residential sites, two schools and a clinic when we are done with its development. We have met with the Department of Water and Sanitation to accommodate Leandra with a bulk water pipeline, said Mr Mashilo.
He said it is not his department’s responsibility to decide on who gets a stand and who is not eligible.
The MEC also said in Lebohang, Ext 27 known as Marikana, people have illegally occupied land. His department has appointed another developer to develop it and the landowners gave them power of attorney.
“Ext 27’s land belongs to four families of whom three have given us power of attorney for to do township establishment on that land.
“Our plan is not to remove people who are staying at Ext 27 but to upgrade the informal settlement. However, those who are on the place where the road needs to be constructed, will be removed to another place. It is difficult to develop a place that is already occupied, but we will manage to do it as we had done in other areas.”
Mr Mashilo said this land will have 1334 stands, including schools and a clinic.
“When developing the place, we need to have social amenities and as the Human Settlement Department, we are responsible to make provision for schools and clinics.”
He said the land where Ext 24 known as Ekuthuleni is, belongs to the MIB and has already been developed into a township although the municipality had not approved it.
“The other mining company objected because they claim to have prospecting rights on that land. I intervened as MEC and I found out that their prospecting rights do not give them the right to stop us from using the land.
“We have evaluated the land through our valuation agency and found it to be worth R17-million if we buy it from MIB. We are currently finalising with the company to pay them if we reach an agreement because the land is already developed,” said Mr Mashilo.
Mr Mashilo said this land will give them another 3 790 stands, including social amenities.
The land where Ext 25 is, belongs to a certain family trust. Township establishment has already been done and land yields 1 270 residential stands.
The land is now being evaluated to establish a purchase price.
Residents demanded a time frame for the completion of the development as they said they have been waited for a long time to get stands.
The MEC said the appointed developers indicated their work may take 18 months to complete but he told them to complete it within eight months.
The residents assured the MEC that no political activities will take place until they get what he is promising, including local government elections.
Leandra community protested for months demanding land and their protest left many trucks and multi-purpose centre that was used by different government departments, including the municipality, torched.
Mr Mashilo was accompanied by Govan Mbeki Municipality’s executive mayor, Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma, members of the mayoral committee and councillors.
