The City of Tshwane has successfully relocated residents of an illegal squatter camp in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria East, to Pienaarspoort after years of complaints from local residents about increased crime, cable theft, and pollution.
The squatter camp, which had occupied the Wolwespruit wetland for over two decades, was home to approximately 300 people.
Local councillor Andrew Lesch described the situation as a long-standing struggle, with court orders previously blocking the eviction of settlers from the wetland in Erasmuskloof.
“Since 2023 we have put a lot of effort to get all the people together to resettle the community. This environment is a wetland and it is not conducive for people to stay here. But also we have seen a lot of crime in the area and especially cable theft that has been taking place on this premises and within this community,” he said.
He said the site of the former squatter camp has been secured and handed over to the Public Investment Corporation, which is expected to begin the rehabilitation process soon, aiming to restore the wetland area and address any environmental damage caused by the illegal occupation.
ActionSA Councilor Henriette Frohlich welcomed the removal of illegal squatters from the Wolwespruit wetland, located near Solomon Mahlangu Drive and Delmas Road.
She said after years of legal battles with human rights lawyers attempting to block the city’s eviction efforts, the Wolwespruit wetland has finally been cleared of illegal squatters and secured.
The achievement, she said, is expected to stimulate property development in the surrounding areas, including Erasmuskloof, Moraleta Park, and Mooikloof.
“The first illegal squatters reportedly moved to Wolwespruit wetland nearly 20 years ago. It was never classified as an informal settlement, and was thus not included on the Upgrading of Informal Settlement Programme. By the time eviction notices were issued in November 2021, about 192 households were recorded, of which 110 were South African, 67 Basotho and 15 Zimbabweans,” she said.
She said the illegal occupants survived on waste sorting, begging and piece jobs in the suburbs.
Frohlich said: “In July 2022, the City of Tshwane started to act on a court application to demolish the shacks and relocate the occupiers to Orchards Extension 10, but the illegal squatters refused to be moved. The City then requested the court to grant an urgent eviction order to evict or relocate the occupiers, but the urgent eviction application was dismissed with costs due to lack of urgency.”
She explained that the new eviction application was then placed on a normal court role, and voluntary relocation forms distributed to the illegal squatters for submission.
“Only 70 South Africans were verified, most of whom have now been relocated to Pienaarspoort,” she said.
AfriForum said its recent submission of a comprehensive report detailing the impact of the illegal dwellings to the city contributed to the successful relocation of the squatters.
“The occupation of this area has caused serious problems such as an increase in crime, cable theft and pollution, which has been exacerbated by illegal recycling and dumping. This has damaged the environment almost beyond repair. However, efforts have now begun to rehabilitate this area,” the organisation said.
