Mzansi Angered by Municipal Worker Destroying Private Property as He Takes Down Illegal Structures

• A video of a tractor breaking down a corrugated iron structure on a private property has been circulating online
• The property’s boundary wall was taken down, along with a metal structure that was illegally erected, in terms of the area's by-laws and the relevant Act
• This action comes after efforts by the municipality to give the property owners opportunities to amend their property to comply with the municipal by-laws

A video of a municipal worker destroying what are said to be illegal structures in Robertson Avenue, Witbank has been circulating online and causing quite an upset among the cyber community.

The clip shows a tractor demolishing a corrugated iron structure on private property. The worker ends up taking down the property’s entire wall, along with the structure.

According to Witbank News, which posted the footage on Facebook, this action follows numerous efforts by the municipality to give the property owners opportunities to amend their property for them to comply with the municipal bylaws and the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA).

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Chief Delisiwe Motha, head of the local law enforcement unit, was quoted in the Witbank News:

“The municipality is enforcing court orders they obtained after engaging with homeowners over time giving them the grace to adhere to the municipality’s building regulations. This forms part of the municipality’s efforts to intensify building compliance."

Judging by the comments, South African online users were not impressed by this municipal legal action and took to Facebook to air their views and grievances:

Ivo Ricardo Do Poco said:

“They should clean up the streets and fix up potholes before attempting to break down people’s property.”

Rienie Kruger reacted:

“They can't fix the potholes and streetlights...”

Anita Conradie replied:

“If they break that outside wall, they will be accountable to rebuild it, as that is not part of the SPLUMA.”

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Sharlien van Rooyen commented:

“Then why don't they approve building plans. Know of people waiting from last year for plans to be approved.”

Carina Botha wrote:

“So why break these people's wall down????? You should be held accountable for that as you are doing that intentionally.”

Mzansi fuming over alleged demolition of houses

In a separate story, Briefly News previously reported that a social media user, who has been identified by his Twitter handle @ZizmanZizipho, shared a heartbreaking photo of a house being demolished.

Briefly.co.za gathered @ZizmanZizipho accused the Tabankulu Municipality of destroying 87 rural homes on Wednesday.

"87 Houses were demolished in Tabankulu, Ndakeni location yesterday. Rural areas, where Tabankulu local municipality is claiming the land as theirs. This has to be declared a national disaster. Is this a new dawn? @CyrilRamaphosa @Julius_S_Malema @EFFSouthAfrica," he captioned the post.

Source: Briefly News