The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements (GDHS) has revealed its plan to execute court orders authorising the eviction of unlawful occupiers from a number of completed, government-funded housing units in the province.

The department, working with municipalities, developers and the state attorney, approached the courts to confirm that these units were unlawfully occupied and to secure their return.

“These are fully built homes, funded by the public purse and earmarked for qualifying beneficiaries on the Housing Demand Database, many of whom have waited years, in some cases decades, for a home of their own.

“Every unit that is unlawfully occupied is a home denied to a family that followed the rules and is legitimately on the waiting list.

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“In line with its standard practice, the Department will not release details of the specific developments involved ahead of execution,” said Tahir Sema, chief director for communication services in the GDHS.

He stressed that evictions will be carried out in an orderly, lawful manner in compliance with the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act, working with the sheriff of the court and relevant law enforcement agencies.

“Once vacated, affected units will be audited, refurbished where necessary and allocated to verified, qualifying beneficiaries in accordance with the department’s allocation policy,” Sema said.

MEC for Human Settlements, Tasneem Motara, said the recovery of these units is central to restoring fairness to the province’s housing allocation system.

“Government builds these homes at great public expense for people who have registered, qualified and waited their turn.

“We cannot allow that trust to be undermined by unlawful occupation, whether by opportunistic individuals or organised syndicates profiteering from the housing backlog.

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Where the courts have granted us orders, we will act on them, and we will keep acting on them,” Motara said.

Montara emphasised that land invasion remains a criminal act, and that illegally occupying land or a house, including a completed government housing unit, for which one has no legal right is unlawful, undermines the department’s housing programme, and adds to the province’s housing backlog.

Residents are urged to report information on land invasions or house-grabbing syndicates to their nearest police station, so that perpetrators can be identified, arrested and prosecuted.

The GDHS called on residents to refrain from illegally occupying land or housing units and instead to register or update their details on the Housing Demand Database through their nearest Housing Office.