Tzaneen Municipality demolishes illegal houses

The Greater Tzaneen Municipality, Limpopo, has begun demolishing houses illegally built on private land commonly referred to as “Muhlava Location.”

According to the municipality, the land has been earmarked for township development as part of long-term planning. Over 80 houses are set to be demolished.

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The municipality started the demolition process of illegal structures on Monday after obtaining an order from the Polokwane High Court last week to proceed, as residents were illegally occupying municipal land.

Municipal spokesperson Neville Ndlala says the land belongs to the municipality with an approved township establishment plan already in place.

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He says while they do sympathise with the residents, he noted that they still went ahead and built their houses after the municipality issued them with several warnings.

“What is happening there is the execution of a court order that we have been working on since 2022,” Ndlala told Phalaphala FM.

“That area in question is municipal land, so there are illegal occupants. So someone has been selling land illegally, and we have been warning people.

“We even put up a board and put public notifications to warn people against buying land there. We also went to court, and the very same person who was selling the land was the one defending.”