Gauteng moves to halt alleged land invasion near Randhart Extension 2

The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development has instructed the Office of the State Attorney to urgently approach the High Court in Johannesburg over the alleged occupation of state-owned land near Randhart Extension 2 in Alberton, The Citizen reports.

What the department says

According to The Citizen, a letter from Thapelo Tlhakodi, director of acquisitions and disposals at the department, set out the intended legal action. The letter reportedly instructs the State Attorney to seek interim and final interdictory relief against identified respondents, unknown occupiers and anyone acting through them.

“The state attorney has been instructed to bring the application urgently, because invasions and construction activities are continuing on the properties,”

Orders the department wants

According to The Citizen’s account of the letter, the court order sought would aim to prevent respondents from a range of actions on the affected state-owned parcels in Randhart Extension 2. The measures described in the letter include prohibitions on:

• Occupying any additional state-owned properties;
• Selling, transferring, marketing or purporting to dispose of any state-owned property;
• Continuing construction activities on state-owned land;
• Erecting any future structures;
• Installing municipal services or infrastructure;
• Allowing further invasion of the affected properties; and
• Alienating or granting rights in respect of the properties.

Local reaction and outstanding questions

The Citizen reported that residents had complained about people allegedly erecting shacks and other structures near Randhart Extension 2 and that the new occupants had allegedly been connecting water and electricity to municipal infrastructure. The report attributes those claims to residents and the department’s letter.

Research accompanying this report found no published notice of motion, case number, or court order confirming that papers have been filed or granted. The availability of any police statements, responses from the City of Ekurhuleni, or municipal confirmation about alleged illegal service connections was not established in the material reviewed.

Investigation and next steps

The department’s letter, as reported by The Citizen, frames the matter as urgent because it says occupation and construction activities are continuing on the properties. Further public documents or official statements confirming court filings or enforcement measures were not found in the available material.

JoburgEtc will update this story if official court papers, police statements or municipal responses become available.