17 October 2022

To: Media houses and Stakeholders

Municipal statement regarding illegal land grab in Parys.

Ngwathe Local Municipality has experienced incidents of illegal land grab in Parys Extension 15, on the 12th and 13th October 2022, respectively.

The municipality is currently at the stage of physically allocating sites to beneficiaries who are holding site numbers as per the application process and eligibility status. Unfortunately, those who are aware of this project are deliberately sabotaging and delaying it by taking it upon their hands to create frustration and confusion in the society by putting other people illegally on municipal owned land, identified for eligible beneficiaries. This is also putting innocent people at risk with the law enforcement agencies over trespassing.

The municipal officials who went on site on the said dates, advised some community members that they should not occupy that land without permission from the municipality because the area has already been allocated to beneficiaries and this could further cause unnecessary confrontations with land beneficiaries.

The Community Services directorate, and MMC responsible, through the Executive Mayor, continue to talk to residents via Councillors, discouraging residents not to fall into a trap of unauthorized people giving them land without permission from the municipality.

Issued by Ngwathe Communications Unit

Steve Naale

Spokesperson

Ngwathe Local Municipality

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