Home News Warrenton military vets to claim ‘promised’ land

Warrenton military vets to claim ‘promised’ land

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According to the military veterans, however, the land has still not been alienated to them and the group has accused the town council of dragging its feet on the matter.

File picture of shacks being erected. Picture: Oupa Mokoena

A GROUP of military veterans are set to erect their shanties on a piece of ground in Warrenton on Tuesday to claim a portion of land that they believe the local municipality has promised to them.

According to a letter in their possession, the Magareng Municipality took a resolution in September 2018 to alienate municipal-owned land for the development of a military veteran village in the “Indian area” of the town.

The letter states that the council approved and adopted the resolution for the alienation of the land and it is signed by Bongile Mhaleni as the executive mayor at the time.

According to the military veterans, however, the land has still not been alienated to them and the group has accused the town council of dragging its feet on the matter.

“We have tried to get intervention from the provincial Department of Coghsta (Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs) but they have referred us back to the municipality,” the veterans said.

They stated that they had been engaging with the municipality even before the establishment of the Department of Military Veterans, regarding housing and other benefits for veterans.

“According to the letter, a decision was taken two years ago already but nothing has been done,” they added.

The veterans stated that as a result they would be forcefully taking the ground on Tuesday.

“We will meet at the offices of the municipality and will then proceed to the area, where we will erect our shanties on the land,” they stated.

According to the group, there are 114 veterans who are supposed to benefit from the allocation. “We are expecting everyone to come and put up their shanties.”

The letter stated that inquiries should be directed to Taelo Molefi, however, he was not in the office on Monday, while there was also no answer from the municipal manager’s office.

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