Note to editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Tania Halse and Sesotho by Karabo Khakhau MP.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is concerned about the situation in Ward 7, Ladybrand of Mantsopa Local Municipality, where residents and housing provisions are used as pawns in the ANC’s political struggle. The DA has written to the Speaker of the Municipality, Mvuyo Ncwada, requesting an urgent special council meeting to address the matter.
Residents approved on the housing waiting lists have been asked to pay for the sites allocated under the FLISP program since 2020. However, they were not allowed to move onto the sites until basic services were installed. The money collected from these payments was supposed to be allocated to installing water and sewage in this new residential area. Unfortunately, the municipality has not made any effort, nor have they budgeted for these services to be installed, even after three years.
The occupation of these sites has allegedly been used in every election since 2016 as a political pawn by the ANC to win votes. Approximately R400 000 has been collected by the municipality in the sale of these sites, but this amount remains undisclosed by the municipality. The DA believes that the ANC’s political struggle is risking the lives of Mantsopa residents.
The DA has called for a revisit, discussion, amendment, and/or rescindment of resolutions taken in council refusing residents’ access to land purchased from the municipality. In council meetings dated 17 December 2015, 31 January 2020, and 29 April 2021, resolutions were taken to adopt the site lists presented to the council, propose pricing of erven for extension 4 sites, and give further feedback regarding the site lists, as well as payments accepted.
The DA has proposed the following amendments to the above resolutions to allow residents who have bought their sites to move on and start building their homes, as adopted in the council:
- Allocate the funds collected from the sale of land in extension 4 to install water and sewage services in the area.
- Rescind the decision for residents not to be able to move onto the sites as the indignity of having paid for land but being refused access to that land is now bordering on fraud and irregular behaviour.
- Conclude the lists and the site allocation by the end of June 2023.
- Grant permission to residents to move onto the land if:
- They have paid for the land or signed a payment agreement, and
- Have approved building plans for their homes and
- Start building the foundation within one month of their access to the land to show their intent to adhere to the resolution of building homes worth at least R150 000.
- If the above agreements are not adhered to, the residents will be subject to a fine in line with the town plan and building policies, and
- If there is no such clause, include it in the policy before the budget is approved.
- Include the installation of services to the extension 4 areas in the 2023/24 IDP and budget.
The council must support housing developments and not hinder them. Due to bad management, a lack of implementation of council resolutions, and certainly no accountability, this matter has been let slip, and the residents of Ward 7 suffer. The DA urges the ANC to stop playing politics with the lives of Mantsopa residents and work together to find a solution.