By Alicia Mmashakana
Public Works and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala has set a 14-day eviction deadline for businesses that are illegally occupying government premises in Mthatha’s CBD.
Zikalala and Eastern Cape public works and infrastructure MEC Siphokazi Lusithi have issued eviction orders to a number of businesses, in an attempt to reclaim hijacked and illegally occupied government properties.
“Our aim is not to shut down legally operating businesses, but we want these businesses paying rent to criminals who have stolen government properties, to start paying the rent to the rightful owners of these properties,” Zikalala said in a statement.
The department launched Operation Bring Back, which aims to monitor the execution of eviction orders for state-owned properties.
Zikalala and Lusithi visited a number of premises housing offices, driving schools, salons, tombstones and a hardware store, where they addressed business owners and workers on their fears of losing their businesses.
“The illegal occupation of government properties, both commercial and residential, undermines the state’s capacity to generate revenue and maintain our properties, but even more tragically, it victimises small business owners who are unaware they are being taken advantage of by these bogus landlords,” said Lusithi.
She added that negotiations with small businesses have been implemented to regularise their leases, to ensure that the businesses were protected, and not exploited for personal gain.
In the Eastern Cape, there are 82 properties that are currently going through legal channels, including 57 eviction orders. Of these, 21 have been evaluated and are recommended for execution, with a target of completing 36 evictions by the end of the 2024/2025 financial year.
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