DA calls on NW Government to appoint specialised Anti-Land Invasion Unit

19 August 2020

Note to editors: Find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by DA Northwest spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development, Jacqueline Theologo.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West condemns the land invasion that took place on a farm at Kroondal this past weekend.

The subsequent unrest when more than 100 invaders were transported to the site, warrants the establishment of a specialised Anti-Land Invasion Unit, which will enlarge the SAPS’ capacity to rapidly respond under such volatile circumstances.

The consistent land invasions in the Tlakgameng farming community of which the last was two weeks ago. The failure by the Rustenburg and Matlosana Local Municipalities to formalise settlements led to the illegal occupation of state property and protests in the past year. This clearly indicates that the SAPS are not up to the task of decisively dealing with situations of this nature.

Some of these invasions was seemingly a result of political opportunism and we appeal to the citizens of North West not to engage in such criminal activity.

The DA-run City of Cape Town launched a similar unit in 2019 to effectively combat land invasions and damage to property and are achieving great success.

We will write to the Acting MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Boitumelo Moiloa and MEC for Community Safety and Transport, Sello Lehari, to request them to present a strategy that will address land disputes that leads to illegal invasions and in some cases, violence.

Issued by Jacqueline Theologo, DA North West Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development, 19 August 2020