The Midvaal Local Municipality’s Mokete Motsamai says illegal land invasions of the last three weeks in Elandsfontein are unlike any invasions he has dealt with before.

“The last 3 weeks we have been dealing with Illegal Land invasions in Elandsfontein. This is unlike other invasions I have dealt with; these invaders are invading properties that are not empty and they approach the owners demanding that they share and take ‘half half’.”

According to Motsamai, MMC Development and Planning at the municipality, the invaders are invading properties that are not empty and they approach the owners demanding that they share and take “half-half”.

“The group is well organized and they also threatened the families owning this properties to the extent that others want to leave their properties because they feel unsafe.”

Motsamai will be meeting with the Security and Law Enforcement Clusters this week to ensure that this situation is dealt with and restore calm.

“We already obtained court orders for the area and clearly they are contravening the orders in place therefore we will push for SAPS to make arrests this week.”

Counsellor Peter Teixeira, DA Midvaal Constituency Head said the DA will put pressure on the De Deur Police Station to make available a report on all previous cases opened by affected property owners in the area and to speed up the arrests of perpetrators.

“We also call on the property owners to fence off their property and put up prominent posters declaring that the property is privately owned and that trespassers will be prosecuted.”

The DA condemns illegal invasions that are in most instances taking advantage of the most vulnerable communities for political gain.