Note to editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Bea Campbell-Cloete and Sesotho by Cllr Moshe Lefuma.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will investigate the handover of 300 sites in Tlholong Extension 6, Kestell, this comes after community members called for answers on the non-allocation of 150 sites.
During a recent community meeting in Tlholong, residents of extension 6 informed the DA that stands allegedly allocated to community members had not been handed over. It is alleged that stands were promised to residents of Tlholong approximately 13 years ago. In 2021, the residents were told that these sites would be allocated and beneficiaries had to register for the sites.
In September 2021, 150 of these sites were handed over to residents by the then Executive Mayor of Maluti-A-Phofung, Masetjhaba Mosia-Lakaje, accompanied by MMC of LED, Mandla Tshabalala and MMC of Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA), Twalanki Nthinya. Since then, no further allocations have been made for the remainder of the 150 sites and no title deeds have been handed over to the beneficiaries of the 150 sites that had been handed over.
During the handover, promises were made of Tlholong being one of the informal settlements in MaP that were to be developed. We learnt that a contract has been awarded for the installation of a pipeline to Extension 6, however, no other services, such as electricity, sewer lines or water, are currently available for the residents. Roads are impassable to water tankers and the single Jojo Tank for water was damaged months ago.
We will raise questions with the municipality to ascertain if there is a spatial development plan for this area, whether the procedures followed in allocating sites are within the prescripts of the law, and if so, why the remainder of the 150 sites have not been handed over to recipients. The DA will also investigate why title deeds have not yet been given to the beneficiaries of the first 150 sites.
Where the DA governs, land reform is most successful. We lead the way when it comes to giving people ownership of their homes, through the provision of urban title deeds and we are committed to finding answers on the title deeds and allocation of sites in Tlholong.