GMM wants to enter into contracts with Brendan Village occupiers

The Govan Mbeki Municipality will enter into a contract with the Brenda Village occupants to pay the municipality. This was said by the mayor, Nhlakanipho Zuma, during the council meeting last week.

Zuma said the contract between the conveyance or a company appointed by the Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlement to manage the village on behalf of the municipality has lapsed while the municipality is still finalising the township establishment processes and the council needs to take a decision.

“All those houses and other properties in Brendan Village are registered under one title deed and occupied while we are busy with a township establishment process.

“The municipality needs to have a contract with those occupants to pay the municipality, otherwise everyone staying there is an illegal occupant.”

Zuma proposed that the municipal manager, Elliot Maseko, draft a contract that will bind both the municipality and the village occupants.

He said the management must engage with the Evander Gold Mine to supply the occupants with water as it is their human right to have water.

Zuma also said that until the title deed issue is resolved, the council will not decide on selling the houses. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) councillors disagreed with the mayor.

They accused Zuma of trying to protect the ANC councillors, Members of the Mayoral Committee and former councillors who have allegedly occupied the houses.

“How can you solve the problem while you are part of it and the majority of your councillors illegally occupy those houses?

“Does the council want to enter into a contract with criminals?” asked Wilson Chauke from the EFF.

“What message are we sending to the community? We need to only enter into contracts with those who are legally there,” said Chauke.

Daniel Khoza, who is also an EFF councillor, said crime is crime and the municipality is supposed to open cases rather than considering a contract with criminals.

“Water must only be provided to those who were staying there before the criminals arrived. Council needs to know that entering into a contract with criminals will mean that we want blood money,” said Khoza.

Zuma reminded Khoza of Ext 30 where Khoza is residing. This extension is known as Marikana in Kinross.

“You councillor Khoza grabbed land in Kinross and when the municipality tried to remove you, the municipality was dragged to court.

“We are not ready to face the same situation,” said Zuma.

Evander Gold Mine has cut water and electricity to the village after the occupants failed to honour a payment agreement.

The occupants then picketed at the municipal offices in Secunda where they demanded the mayor intervene between them and the mine.

They are currently living in the dark without electricity while some use generators and get water from the municipal water tanker every week.