The Mayor of the embattled Mangaung Metro, Gregory Nthatisi, said a cluster of shacks erected at Brandkop 702 and Extension 148 near Pellissier in Bloemfontein, will remain for now while the municipality tries to find a lasting solution.

Nthatisi finds himself at the centre of a complex dilemma of immediate humanitarian needs and the pursuit of a lasting solution to the land issue. Nthatisi visited the area on Sunday to address people who were erecting shacks in the area.

“The issue of land in terms of accommodating our people across the country, not only in Mangaung, happens to be one the greatest problems the government must attend to. The land invasion is not a government programme and we are discouraging it – at all costs. However, having found these people trying to erect their shacks here – operating while there is a court interdict in place – working with the police, we had to check what modalities to put in place, in terms of the court interdict that was issued,” he said.

“By law, those who have erected shacks that are standing – we have no right now to remove them until we have a final verdict about what steps to take. We've agreed with the police that some of the shacks that have been erected will be left standing. However, people now have to stop erecting more shacks as it is a subject of the municipality now to make compelling decisions as to what steps we're going to take.”

Nthatisi added that the municipality has no right to remove people who have already erected shacks until the final verdict. However, those who still want to erect shacks in the area are already interdicted, despite attempts to mark their areas.

“I will have to go to my teams to look at what answers we must give with regards to the problem we face. I must indicate, that this not only happened in Bloemfontein, but in the entire Mangaung. We recently dealt with it in Botshabelo, Thaba Nchu, and now we’re in Mangaung. So we have decided as Mangaung that we are going to take a lasting solution about how best we can address the issue of provision of land to our people,” added Nthatisi.

Meanwhile, Sanco welcomed the mayor's intervention in Ward 18, which includes Lourier Park. The Regional Secretary, Thabang Teboho, urged residents to exercise patience while waiting for essential services.

13 people who were arrested for erecting shacks are expected to appear in court soon.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg