Service land before allocating stands

VICE PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi has warned local authorities against allowing settlements on unserviced land, underscoring the urgency of aligning urban planning with the broader infrastructure developments spearheaded by the Government.

Speaking at the Beitbridge Business Summit at the weekend, VP Mohadi said councils must prioritise the development of infrastructure such as access roads, and sewer and water systems before permitting occupancy.

“The days of the local authorities allocating people land, which is not serviced and allowing them to occupy must come to an end. Here in Beitbridge, I have been briefed that there are some suburbs still not connected to sewer or water and have impassable roads,” he said.

“Going forward, the authorities in this town must consider allocating fully serviced housing land for property development.”

VP Mohadi noted that many areas in Beitbridge still lack these essential services, creating challenges for residents.

He stressed the need for town planners to refocus on managing sewer and water reticulation facilities effectively, calling for the allocation of fully serviced housing land for future property developments.

This approach, VP Mohadi argued, would not only improve living conditions but also attract investments to Beitbridge, which has seen significant infrastructure development in recent years.

Key projects include a US$300 million border upgrade, new Government housing units notably the 220 houses for Government workers and the 28 new F14 staff houses for civil servants and essential facilities like a reservoir, sewer oxidation dam, animal plant, quarantine centre and fire station.

Beitbridge, now a municipality, requires about 18 mega-litres of water daily to support its population of approximately 100 000 people and over 15 000 properties.

Despite these demands, many new areas remain unserviced, forcing residents to rely on boreholes and sceptic tanks.

Some residents even sell water in these areas, with prices varying based on the source and treatment of the water.

A bucket of treated water is going for around R10, while borehole water is pegged at R5. Bulk raw water drawn from the Limpopo River is sold for R100 per 100 litres

In 2019, the Beitbridge Municipality attempted to evict residents occupying unserviced land but later reversed this decision, allowing them to stay provided they installed sceptic tanks.