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IOL News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Eersterust residents stand firm against government relocation amid housing crisis
Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements Tasneem Motara and City of Tshwane's MMC for Human Settlements Aaron Maluleka led a team of government officials to assess the living conditions of the residents in Eersterust. Image: Rapula Moatshe Eersterust residents, who illegally occupied empty land during the Covid-19 pandemic, have vowed to defy the government's imminent plans to relocate them from the area, which is considered unsuitable for housing. This was revealed by residents on Tuesday during a visit to the area by Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements Tasneem Motara and City of Tshwane's MMC for Human Settlements Aaron Maluleka. The pair visited the informal settlement to assess the living conditions of the residents. They told residents about the plans in the pipeline to relocate them from the area, citing its unsuitability for housing. 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 ✕ Motara said: 'The surveys that the municipality has conducted indicate that the land is not developable; it is probably because of the soil type.' However, some residents have shown reluctance to relocate from the land. One of them, Linah Mlanjeni, said she illegally erected her shack on the land because renting had become too expensive for her. 'Renting is very expensive for us, and mostly the job that we are doing does not pay at least R10 000 salary a month. I have the responsibility to feed myself and my children,' she said. She expressed frustration over broken government promises of housing, questioning the claim that the land is unsuitable for building. 'They wanted to build a garage here. How can it not be suitable for building? We disagree on that. There are people who are already staying here in brick houses,' she said. Lizzy Bosman echoed similar concerns, citing unaffordable rent, which can be at least R6 000 for a small room. 'We don't want to leave this place, it is home, we have grown up here, and now we have kids of our own,' she said. Other residents demanded development in the area, highlighting the absence of basic amenities like toilets, clean water, and electricity. The residents firmly reiterated their opposition to relocation, insisting they will not leave Eersterust under any circumstances. Motara said the municipality has identified suitable land for relocation and will provide further details about it soon. 'If I tell you where the land is, then tomorrow they will invade it. We know where the land is,' she said. She said the relocation will happen as soon as her department and Tshwane have finalised the necessary processes, which include budgeting for it. When asked about handling those who refuse relocation, she said that relocation is necessary and there are various ways to address resistance. For example, she said, for residents occupying Sanral land, the entity would need to obtain a court-ordered eviction. 'We have to evict those people and relocate them. That land is unsuitable for people to reside on. To avert a disaster, they have to relocate. Where? It is based on where we have land and where the project is available,' Motara said. She urged everybody to respect the rule of law and refrain from invading land and constructing permanent structures. Maluleka said 79 people occupying Sanral's road reserves need urgent relocation due to road construction, while the total number of residents in the informal settlement is 1 149. 'We have to acknowledge the injustices of the past that people were deprived of land,' he said. He explained that the settlement emerged because the community felt neglected and left behind for a long time. 'We don't want to overpromise but whatever we are going to do, let's work together to be able to speed up development,' he said.
The Citizen
30-04-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Eersterust residents receive title deeds
Residents in Eersterust received official documents for their homes during a delivery drive-by on Tuesday. According to MMC for Housing and Human Settlements Aaron Maluleka, residents can expect the issuing of more title deeds to beneficiaries as part of the ongoing commitment to support the community. This comes after Maluleka launched a drive-by delivery of title deeds initiative aimed at enhancing home ownership and property security in Eersterust. Spokesperson Melandré Frost said community leaders and residents celebrated the milestone in property rights and housing stability as title deeds were delivered to five homes for the launch. 'This initiative not only reflects the metro's dedication to improving homeownership within the Eersterust area but also aims to educate residents about the legal responsibilities and rights associated with property ownership.' She said during the delivery Maluleka emphasised the importance of safekeeping title deeds, as they represent the legal ownership of property. 'It is crucial for homeowners to understand that losing or misplacing a title deed can result in significant costs, about R3 000 and can complicate property rights,' said Maluleka. He urged all homeowners to take proactive measures to protect their documents and highlighted the significance of the law of succession, reinforcing the need for residents to draft valid wills. 'Having a legally binding will ensures that your property is passed on according to your wishes. This protects your legacy and secures the future of your loved ones,' he explained. Frost said Maluleka further addressed the importance of homeowners insuring their properties against potential natural disasters. 'He advised residents that it is essential to protect the structure of their home with a reputable insurance company because such measures are crucial for safeguarding one's investment and providing peace of mind in uncertain times.' She concluded that more title deeds will be available for collection at the Human Settlements Department offices in various regions, with additional opportunities to receive title deeds during public meetings scheduled soon. Local ward councillor, Benjamin Lawrence expressed gratitude on behalf of the community and emphasised the importance of bringing dignity to the residents of Eersterust. 'Some residents have been in their homes with no official documentation for many years, I am very happy for this initiative by the metro.' He said Eersterust councillors hope to continue working with the metro to restore the dignity of the residents. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ 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!
