ActionSA welcomes the successful removal of about 300 illegal squatters from Wolwespruit wetland near Solomon Mahlangu Drive and Delmas Road this past weekend.
Despite efforts by human rights lawyers to block every attempt by the City of Tshwane to evict the illegal squatters over the past few years, Wolwespruit wetland has now been cleared and secured. This should boost property development in Erasmuskloof, Moraleta Park, Mooikloof and surrounding areas in the coming months.
The first illegal squatters reportedly moved to Wolwespruit wetland nearly 20 years ago. It was never classified an informal settlement, and was thus not included on the Upgrading of Informal Settlement Programme. By the time eviction notices were issued in November 2021, about 192 households were recorded, of which 110 were South African, 67 Basotho and 15 Zimbabwean.
They survived on waste sorting, begging and piece jobs in the suburbs.
In July 2022, the City of Tshwane started to act on a court application to demolish the shacks and relocate the occupiers to Orchards Extension 10, but the illegal squatters refused to be move. The City then requested the court to grant an urgent eviction order to evict/ relocate the occupiers, but the urgent eviction application was dismissed with costs due to lack of urgency.
The new eviction application was then placed on a normal court role, and voluntary relocation forms distributed to the illegal squatters for submission. Only 70 South Africans were verified, most of whom have now been relocated to Pienaarspoort.
ActionSA commends the commitment of the City of Tshwane to resolve this long-standing environmental crisis, and for identifying permanent stands above the flood line, so as to restore the dignity of the “Wolwespruit” illegal squatters.
ActionSA Welcomes the Successful Removal of Illegal Squatters from Wolwespruit
ActionSA welcomes the successful removal of about 300 illegal squatters from Wolwespruit wetland near Solomon Mahlangu Drive and Delmas Road this past weekend.
Despite efforts by human rights lawyers to block every attempt by the City of Tshwane to evict the illegal squatters over the past few years, Wolwespruit wetland has now been cleared and secured. This should boost property development in Erasmuskloof, Moraleta Park, Mooikloof and surrounding areas in the coming months.
The first illegal squatters reportedly moved to Wolwespruit wetland nearly 20 years ago. It was never classified an informal settlement, and was thus not included on the Upgrading of Informal Settlement Programme. By the time eviction notices were issued in November 2021, about 192 households were recorded, of which 110 were South African, 67 Basotho and 15 Zimbabwean.
They survived on waste sorting, begging and piece jobs in the suburbs.
In July 2022, the City of Tshwane started to act on a court application to demolish the shacks and relocate the occupiers to Orchards Extension 10, but the illegal squatters refused to be move. The City then requested the court to grant an urgent eviction order to evict/ relocate the occupiers, but the urgent eviction application was dismissed with costs due to lack of urgency.
The new eviction application was then placed on a normal court role, and voluntary relocation forms distributed to the illegal squatters for submission. Only 70 South Africans were verified, most of whom have now been relocated to Pienaarspoort.
ActionSA commends the commitment of the City of Tshwane to resolve this long-standing environmental crisis, and for identifying permanent stands above the flood line, so as to restore the dignity of the “Wolwespruit” illegal squatters.