The City of Tshwane has launched an investigation into the development of Leeuwfontein suburb which sprung up allegedly without legal subdivision of the property, rezoning or plans.
The investigation follows an article by GroundUp last month after residents complained they were living without any basic services, such as electricity, water, sewage, refuse removal and street maintenance from the municipality. Residents have improvised these to varying degrees. The gravel roads are also deteriorating.
Last week the city’s spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the municipality had issued contravention notices to the land owners and the matter had been referred to the city’s legal department.
He said the land owners had subdivided and sold the plots illegally to people who became residents. Bokaba said the land owners known as Mirror Developers were hard to trace.
Regarding the provision of basic services, Bokaba said: “The city does not have a programme of helping people who live in stands that they bought illegally. This (illegal subdivision and sale of land) is a criminal offence that needs to be addressed through a proper process.”
Bokaba said such illegal sales were a challenge nationally.
Residents said they bought their properties from Malesela Marema. Marema has confirmed he sold plots through Mirror Developers.
Nenkie Mashowa and Jubilee Mtweni bought their plots for R80,000 each. They said Marema promised them that there would be development in the area, including basic services such as running water and electricity.
Residents welcomed the city’s investigation saying they hoped it would lead to Leeuwfontein being formalised.
Ernest Buthelezi built a double-storey house on the plot he bought from Marema in 2019.
“I resigned from my job and used R145,000 of my pension payout to buy this stand in 2019,” said Buthelezi.
Abel Sikatane said he bought his plot from Marema in 2015 for R87,000. He also used some of his pension payout to buy the stand.
“I then built a house for my family. I’m now disappointed because there are no basic services here. I hope the investigation will make good changes.”
Both Buthelezi and Sikatane said they never received title deeds despite their requests.
Marema said Mirror Developers had applied to the City of Tshwane in 2010 for the establishment of a township and submitted all the requirements in person. He said the city never responded.
“They are not telling the truth. The municipality also wanted to take over the area (Leeuwfontein) in 2022. They asked for the costs and we gave them everything in a report, but they did not come back to us.”
He said he had appointed a town planner to re-apply to the city for the establishment of the settlement and to formalise Leeuwfontein near Mamelodi, east of Pretoria.
– GroundUp
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