The Western Cape Housing Department and Human Settlements has urged the public to be wakker for land invasions and vandalism during the silly season.
The department said it experienced more than 1 600 invasions of land earmarked for human settlement development across the province.
During this same period, more than 100 Breaking New Ground (BNG) houses were vandalised by illegal occupiers.
The department spent more than R100 million over the past three years to safeguard its properties from afbrekerige mense and prevent invasions. Another R24m was also forked out on repairing vandalised houses.
Tertuis Simmers, MEC of Infrastructure, said as a result of vandalism and land invasions more than 700 housing opportunities were lost.
“The impact of invasions and illegal occupation of BNGs results in the damaging of units that costs the department additional funds to fix and secure the projects,” he added.
“It can take up to three months and more to fix those damages. It also delays delivery to the rightful owners of the houses.”
Simmers said it made him naar that money had to be spent for cleaning up purposes, and called on communities to report any illegal activities during the festive season by calling 021 480 7700 or 021 826 5701.
The department’s acting director of communication, Muneera Allie, explained that many perpetrators see invasions as a means to jump the queue for housing assistance.
Two of these invaded sites formed part of the Silvertown Project in Khayelitsha.
Allie said more than 500 units and serviced sites could not be built in 2020 as a result of the invasion.
During this same period, in Thembalethu, George, municipal land was invaded which formed part of the larger Upgrading of Informal Settlements Project (UISP).
In late November, a group of 20 armed skurke threatened to occupy vacant units at the Department’s Vlakkeland Housing Project in Paarl.
The intruders were not identified, but upon seeing that the houses were still under construction, they threatened that they would return when the houses are complete.
“As a result, additional security has been arranged to mitigate for this risk during the festive period.”