The City’s Social Development Department will trace and support families reportedly displaced after being evicted from illegally invaded land in Lawley, south of Johannesburg.
This comes on the heels of media reports that the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) forcibly removed people from the Lawley informal settlement, leaving scores homeless.
It’s also alleged that as a result of the bylaw enforcement operation last Thursday, aimed at curbing recurring land invasions in the area, about 500 incomplete and unoccupied illegal structures were demolished.
Following the Executive Mayor, Geoff Makhubo’s impromptu visit to the area on Monday, 20 April, no verifiable case of eviction or demolition of occupied structures has been confirmed. “I wanted to familiarise myself with the situation on the ground following several claims made largely via the media that some residents who had taken occupation were evicted and their structures demolished,” Makhubo explains.
He was pleased to meet residents who confirmed their structures were spared “as they were already residing at the said homes”. A legal process to handle illegal land invasions will be undertaken once the lockdown is suspended.
Makhubo has threatened stern action against those peddling false information. “Should the eviction claims prove to be false, those responsible for the action will be called to account,” he says.
While in Lawley, the Mayor was shocked to witness several people illegally erecting informal structures on land belonging to the state. “Among five people arrested is a member of the South African National Defence Force in active service at the 21 South African Infantry Battalion. More arrests will follow as the clampdown on invasions' continues,” he says.
The City of Johannesburg has a long-standing Council resolution against evictions and the Government of Local Unity aligns itself fully with this commitment. However, this does not prevent the municipality from acting against illegal occupations to protect state property, says Makhubo.
The City is worried about the acute increase in land invasions since the declaration of a National State of Disaster, which led to the month-long lockdown and awaits direction from the provincial and national governments on how to contain the trend.
Makhubo says the City remains committed to providing shelter to the homeless as well as social and affordable housing as part of planned development, including the rapid release of land. “We urge residents to be vigilant and abide by the law to avoid falling victim to criminals selling land illegally.”
“We also wish to emphasise the importance of observing lockdown regulations and implore our people to stay-indoors, observe social distancing and wash hands with soap regularly,” Makhubo says.
Last week the Joburg High Court dismissed an urgent application by unlawful and illegal occupants of state land in Lawley, who sought relief regarding demolished structures as part of an operation against land invasions in the area.
The court upheld the City’s version that it had not evicted any land occupiers, instead prevented on-going land invasions and demolished incomplete and unoccupied structures.
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