Secunda property owners demand enforcement as illegal structures spread along main route
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Business and property owners in Secunda say unauthorised structures and occupation along Walter Sisulu Drive are dragging down property values, even as they continue to pay municipal rates.
Business and property owners in Secunda, in Mpumalanga's Govan Mbeki Municipality, have questioned why they are expected to pay property rates and taxes while what they describe as illegal occupation and the erection of unauthorised structures appear to continue unabated.
The structures and makeshift shelters have spread along Walter Sisulu Drive, the main route into town that leads to Sasol's Gate One, the Graceland Hotel, Casino and Country Club, the Lake Umuzi Waterfront, car dealerships and other businesses, and which carries heavy local and out-of-town traffic. Owners argue the growing number of structures could deter buyers and investors and harm the town's image.
"One structure has grown to two, three, four ... and growing every day. If it is not stopped now, it will get out of hand," one concerned businessman said. He argued that ratepayers are effectively carrying the council while occupants of the structures pay nothing, and warned that if property owners stopped paying rates because illegal structures were devaluing their properties, there would eventually be no money to run the municipality.
Residents also raised concerns about drug dealing and drug use, fighting and other criminal activity in and around the area. The Ridge Times has previously reported on law enforcement operations to remove illegal structures and people occupying spaces unlawfully, but the structures and occupants have returned. Business owners called for removals to be repeated monthly, or weekly if necessary, rather than once every several months.
Govan Mbeki Municipality spokesperson Donald Green said the affected areas receive ongoing attention from the municipal By-Law Enforcement Unit and relevant departments, with regular clean-up and law enforcement operations addressing illegal structures, unlawful activities, littering and other contraventions. He acknowledged that the municipality continues to face challenges with individuals returning to previously cleared areas and erecting structures again, which he said requires continuous monitoring, repeated enforcement and cooperation among stakeholders.
Green said concerns about the frequency of operations had been acknowledged and would be considered in ongoing operational planning, and that the municipality remained committed to strengthening enforcement and maintaining clean, safe public spaces. He encouraged residents and businesses to report allegations of drug dealing and other criminal activity to the South African Police Service, and acknowledged concerns about damage to boundary walls, fires, poor sanitation and littering, saying municipal teams continued cleaning operations in affected public spaces.