A group of residents have illegally occupied a piece of land behind the Taung Sports ground in the North West, outside Vryburg. The land, which belongs to the Batlhaping, was meant for development. The controversial matter has resulted in the traditional authority taking the matter to court after occupants refused to move out.
Some of the illegal occupants have vowed not to leave, until they are allocated alternative land to occupy.
“For me to come erect my shack here it’s for my kids. I want them to have a place they would call home so I am here to stay, I am not moving,” says a resident.
Some residents say they won’t move as the matter has already been taken to court.
“We will stay here because the matter has been taken to the high court. We spoke to Dj Nation and when he has his event here, Taung comes to a standstill with serious traffic congestion so we have realised that there are people who are using DJ nation’s events for their own benefits,” adds another resident.
A leader of the Batlhaping Ba Ga Phuduhutswana, Kgosi Tshepo Mankuraone, says they are determined to get the land back by using an eviction order.
“Those land grabbers will eventually be evicted because that land is meant for development. There is a budget set aside already. We have brought the municipality on board so that they take part in such development like the extension of the sports ground by constructing tennis courts and so on. We believe that people who have occupied this land illegally are the very same enemies of development,” says Mankuraone.
