MIDVAAL. – The Midvaal Local Municipality says private and state-owned land in Doornkuil, Orange Farm and Savanna City Ext. 10 has come under threat of illegal land invasion.

“It is reported that over the last weekend, about 200 people were on-site illegally, demarcating and cleaning vacant private and state-owned stands with the intention of occupying these stands. The syndicates of these illegal acts are illegally selling these stands for between R500 and R1 000,” the municipality said in a statement released on Monday afternoon 17 August.

The municipality is encouraging owners of vacant stands in the said areas to take proactive steps to safeguard their properties against land invasion by barricading or fencing off  their properties, erecting the necessary signage (i.e. stating that it is privately owned and trespassers will be prosecuted).

Property owners can also secure the services of a private security services company to monitor and guard against invasions of their property.

The MMC for Development and Planning is currently organising an urgent meeting with the relevant stakeholders, including affected property owners, Public Order Policing (POPS), the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Public Safety to discuss and find long-term solutions to this matter.