MEC Siphokazi Lusithi addressing the media on-site.

MEC for Public Works, Infrastructure and Human Settlements Siphokazi Lusithi and senior government officials activated a two-day campaign aimed at officially executing eviction orders.

The implementation of these eviction orders commenced with 12 properties where leases have been concluded. This session furthermore provided a way forward on the state of the properties in question and gave insight into the proceedings of the day.

This campaign comes after the department has been leasing its properties to tenants who were/are working for government as work facility in terms of the Department of Public Service and Administration. Overtime, the tenants occupying these houses have either vacated, some are deceased and families remain in occupation, some are still under the employ of the state but do not qualify as work facility in terms of state housing policy, however refusing to pay market related rental.

Just to ascertain that these eviction processes are legal and procedural, the department appointed a firm of attorneys to process these matters through courts and lead the evictions. Thereafter, eviction orders were granted for individual commercial, residential properties and a block of flats that was finalised through an arbitration process.

These affected areas include properties in Mthatha town and its surrounding townships including the block of flats in North Crest. Day one focused on evicting occupants utilising the properties for commercial purposes and day two aimed at evicting occupants in residential areas.

“A total of 36 evictions are scheduled to be carried out and completed before the end of the 2024/2025 financial year. The illegal occupants are known to the department, as they hold leases but have failed to adhere to the payment of market rental rates”, said MEC Lusithi.

Currently, 9 eviction orders have been executed and the department has processed and approved 13 applications for new tenants to occupy the houses where eviction orders are implemented.

The 250 units at North Crest flats were before court which ordered an arbitration between tenants and the department. An agreement reached by the parties in the arbitration process has been made an order of the High Court.

The implementation of these eviction orders will continue to next week as MEC Lusithi will be joined by Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala in this robust campaign of reclaiming state properties so as to further the mandate of the mandate of the department of generating revenue from these properties.

Head of Department, Thandolwethu Manda delivering a departmental report on eviction orders.

Chief Director: Immovable Asset Management, Nwabisa Tyekela, delivering a presentation on Immovable Asset.

Advocate Mvuzo Notyesi, giving an update on eviction orders in OR Tambo District.