Lenasia demolitions must stop - party

Published Nov 12, 2012

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Johannesburg - The Islamic party Al Jama-Ah on Sunday called on the government to stop the demolition of houses in Lenasia.

“The party feels that not all legal options were taken and that the Ministry of Human Settlements could have done more.

“The start of the destruction of 113 homes in Lenasia South is a blot on all South Africans,” said the party's president Ganief Hendrieks.

He described the demolition of houses as worse than the acts of the apartheid government.

Hendrieks said the demolition should be stopped and Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale should intervene to resolve the problem.

At least 113 houses had been identified for destruction as they were illegally built on land intended for government houses.

A total of 51 houses have been demolished by the Gauteng housing department.

Spokesperson Motsamai Motlhaolwa said an investigation had found that fraudsters sold plots of land for amounts ranging from R2 500 to R95 000.

Buyers were issued with fraudulent deeds of sale which bore the department's official logo.

The remaining houses were yet to be demolished, said Motlhaolwa.

On Saturday, the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) said political leaders should find a solution for the problem.

“We believe that the people of Lenasia have elected their political leaders who are supposed to be living among them,” said Sanco deputy president Lemias Mashile.

“We therefore call for an immediate end to the destruction of these houses in Lenasia and an immediate start of engagement of the political leaders with the community and its leaders.” - Sapa

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