Successful relocation of Erasmuskloof squatters marks a new beginning for Wolwespruit wetland
Image: Supplied
The City of Tshwane has successfully relocated residents of an illegal squatter camp in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria East, to Pienaarspoort after years of complaints from local residents about increased crime, cable theft, and pollution.
The squatter camp, which had occupied the Wolwespruit wetland for over two decades, was home to approximately 300 people.
Local councillor Andrew Lesch described the situation as a long-standing struggle, with court orders previously blocking the eviction of settlers from the wetland in Erasmuskloof.
'Since 2023 we have put a lot of effort to get all the people together to resettle the community. This environment is a wetland and it is not conducive for people to stay here. But also we have seen a lot of crime in the area and especially cable theft that has been taking place on this premises and within this community,' he said.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
He said the site of the former squatter camp has been secured and handed over to the Public Investment Corporation, which is expected to begin the rehabilitation process soon, aiming to restore the wetland area and address any environmental damage caused by the illegal occupation.
ActionSA Councilor Henriette Frohlich welcomed the removal of illegal squatters from the Wolwespruit wetland, located near Solomon Mahlangu Drive and Delmas Road.
She said after years of legal battles with human rights lawyers attempting to block the city's eviction efforts, the Wolwespruit wetland has finally been cleared of illegal squatters and secured.
The achievement, she said, is expected to stimulate property development in the surrounding areas, including Erasmuskloof, Moraleta Park, and Mooikloof.
'The first illegal squatters reportedly moved to Wolwespruit wetland nearly 20 years ago. It was never classified as 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 Zimbabweans,' she said.
She said the illegal occupants survived on waste sorting, begging and piece jobs in the suburbs.
Frohlich said: '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 moved. The City then requested the court to grant an urgent eviction order to evict or relocate the occupiers, but the urgent eviction application was dismissed with costs due to lack of urgency.'
She explained that 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,' she said.
AfriForum said its recent submission of a comprehensive report detailing the impact of the illegal dwellings to the city contributed to the successful relocation of the squatters.
'The occupation of this area has caused serious problems such as an increase in crime, cable theft and pollution, which has been exacerbated by illegal recycling and dumping. This has damaged the environment almost beyond repair. However, efforts have now begun to rehabilitate this area,' the organisation said.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
3 days ago
- The South African
'I don't know Mr Molefe': Gayton claps back at viral pic
Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie has clapped back at viral images of him and deputy-president Kenny Kunene, alongside a man mistaken to be Katiso Molefe, the Sandton businessman who allegedly ordered a hit on DJ Sumbody, real name Oupa John Sefoka. Earlier this week, Kunene was found at the residence of Molefe, whom police have since arrested. He has denied knowing Molefe personally. On social media, pictures of Gayton McKenzie, Kenny Kunene, and another man – mistakenly believed to be Katiso Molefe have gone viral. Moelefe is accused of allegedly ordering the hit on DJ Sumbody, who died in a hail of bullets in 2022. The images have been widely circulated, and even retweeted by Action SA leader Herman Mashaba. Gayton clapped back on his X account: 'This guy in the picture is not Molefe, not you of all people, don't fall for media nonsense.' In another X post, he shared: 'This guy in the picture is Dan Bhuga. You guys are desperate beyond. I don't know Molefe and never met him'. In a third, Gayton McKenzie accused the DA of being behind the misinformation. 'The DA was delivering fake pictures of me with a murder suspect to every house, but our people know that we would not lie to them. The WC is no longer a given for the DA, salute', he posted. Gayton McKenzie has come to Kenny Kunene's defense. Inmage via Instagram @kenny_kunene/@gaytonmck Like Gayton McKenzie, Kenny Kunene has also denied personally knowing Katiso Molefe. During an interview with eNCA, the outspoken Patriotic Alliance deputy-president claims he met Molefe once before being caught at his upmarket Sandton home this week. 'I have never been there before, I have no relationship with Mr Molefe. I don't have his cell number. The police established that. According to Kunene – he had accompanied a journalist to Molefe's house – and was at the 'wrong place at the wrong time, for the right reasons'. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
6 days ago
- The Citizen
Wolwespruit wetland cleared after 20-year standoff
Tshwane metro, in collaboration with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), is exploring ways to secure and rehabilitate the Wolwespruit wetland area after the removal of squatters. On July 11, the metro completed the long-delayed relocation of illegal occupants from the environmentally sensitive Wolwespruit wetland, on the corner of Solomon Mahlangu Drive and Delmas Road. The move has been hailed by various political parties and civil rights organisations as a critical step in resolving a 20-year-old environmental and legal standoff that has hindered development in surrounding areas. According to Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, 70 verified South African nationals have now been resettled at Pienaarspoort Ext 22, 23, and 25. These residents were part of a larger group of about 300 illegal squatters who had been occupying the wetland area for nearly two decades. Mashigo said the remaining individuals, identified as foreign nationals, were cleared from the area, and the land has since been handed over to the PIC, which owns several adjacent properties. He said the area is an environmentally sensitive area, which will not be developed immediately. However, any future developments would require comprehensive environmental assessments. 'For now, the city's priority is to preserve and protect the space,' Mashigo stated. ActionSA's Tshwane caucus spokesperson, Henriette Frohlich, welcomed the successful eviction and relocation, citing that the intervention should pave the way for increased property development in areas such as Erasmuskloof, Moreleta Park, and Mooikloof. 'The city has demonstrated commitment to resolving this long-standing crisis, and identifying permanent stands was essential to restoring dignity to the affected residents,' Frohlich said. She said the first eviction notices were issued in November 2021, after a 2020 census recorded 192 households at the site: 110 South African, 67 Basotho, and 15 Zimbabwean nationals. 'Legal attempts to relocate the community date back to July 2022, but were delayed by court challenges and opposition from human rights groups.' She said despite early resistance, the city eventually secured a court-ordered eviction, and relocation efforts resumed earlier this year, culminating in the recent clearance of the area. AfriForum welcomed the successful relocation of illegal squatters, who have occupied the wetland in Erasmuskloof, near Wolwespruit, for years. This follows the organisation's submission of a full report on the impact of these illegal dwellings on the city earlier this year. The civil rights organisation said the occupation of this area has caused serious problems such as an increase in crime, cable theft, and pollution. According to them, all of this has been exacerbated by ongoing illegal recycling and dumping. 'This has damaged the environment almost beyond repair. However, efforts have now begun to rehabilitate this area. Although there are still illegal squatters camping outside the site in Nossob Street and Solomon Mahlangu Drive, the Department of Human Settlements has undertaken to relocate them soon.' ALSO READ: Wolwespruit wetland secured, illegal squatters evicted Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
20-07-2025
- IOL News
Successful relocation of Erasmuskloof squatters marks a new beginning for Wolwespruit wetland
The City of Tshwane has relocated residents of an illegal squatter camp in Erasmuskloof to Pienaarspoort, resolving years of complaints about crime and pollution in the area. Image: Supplied The City of Tshwane has successfully relocated residents of an illegal squatter camp in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria East, to Pienaarspoort after years of complaints from local residents about increased crime, cable theft, and pollution. The squatter camp, which had occupied the Wolwespruit wetland for over two decades, was home to approximately 300 people. Local councillor Andrew Lesch described the situation as a long-standing struggle, with court orders previously blocking the eviction of settlers from the wetland in Erasmuskloof. 'Since 2023 we have put a lot of effort to get all the people together to resettle the community. This environment is a wetland and it is not conducive for people to stay here. But also we have seen a lot of crime in the area and especially cable theft that has been taking place on this premises and within this community,' he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He said the site of the former squatter camp has been secured and handed over to the Public Investment Corporation, which is expected to begin the rehabilitation process soon, aiming to restore the wetland area and address any environmental damage caused by the illegal occupation. ActionSA Councilor Henriette Frohlich welcomed the removal of illegal squatters from the Wolwespruit wetland, located near Solomon Mahlangu Drive and Delmas Road. She said after years of legal battles with human rights lawyers attempting to block the city's eviction efforts, the Wolwespruit wetland has finally been cleared of illegal squatters and secured. The achievement, she said, is expected to stimulate property development in the surrounding areas, including Erasmuskloof, Moraleta Park, and Mooikloof. 'The first illegal squatters reportedly moved to Wolwespruit wetland nearly 20 years ago. It was never classified as 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 Zimbabweans,' she said. She said the illegal occupants survived on waste sorting, begging and piece jobs in the suburbs. Frohlich said: '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 moved. The City then requested the court to grant an urgent eviction order to evict or relocate the occupiers, but the urgent eviction application was dismissed with costs due to lack of urgency.' She explained that 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,' she said. AfriForum said its recent submission of a comprehensive report detailing the impact of the illegal dwellings to the city contributed to the successful relocation of the squatters. 'The occupation of this area has caused serious problems such as an increase in crime, cable theft and pollution, which has been exacerbated by illegal recycling and dumping. This has damaged the environment almost beyond repair. However, efforts have now begun to rehabilitate this area,' the organisation said.
