The Land Release Project was identified as a means of acquiring land to build houses, as there is no other land available in Evaton. A Land Release Team has been put together to identify willing sellers and has been working hard on door-to-door visits to stand owners.

Thus far, 30 willing sellers have come forward to release their stands for housing development. These land transfers and the payments to stand owners will take place during April and May 2008. Because many stand owners do not live in Evaton anymore, it has been difficult to get in contact with them through door-to-door visits. Newspaper and radio adverts are also been used to try to contact these stand owners.

The Emfuleni Local Municipality has also transferred 204 stands to the Gauteng Department of Housing, to be disposed of as part of the ERP housing programme. People with land claims are also receiving their land transfers currently from the Land Claims Commission. In the cases where the land cannot be restored to its rightful owner, e.g. if there is a school on the land, then the claimant will be compensated by the Land Claims Commission.

Evaton Elder (95) Participates in Land Release Programme

Mrs Matobo Nora Segage was born on 21st of January 1913. She will be turning 95 in January 2008, and has lived in Evaton for most of her life.

Granny Segage is very weak and frail and she has an acute hearing disability. However, the fire still burns brightly in her intelligent eyes and reflects the rich history and life-long memories of living in Evaton. She is indeed a rich historical reservoir of the changing face of Evaton over the decades and in the country.

Currently, Granny Segage lives with her son Moshebeng (Levi) Tsogogi and his family on a very big family plot. Granny qualifies for a “Housing Upgrade” in the Evaton Renewal Project, but like many families in Evaton, they cannot reach consensus on whether or not to release their land to the Gauteng Department of Housing. If they do, their land will be sub-divided into 12 to 15 plots, allowing more new houses to be built for the Evaton Community.

Moshebeng was very interested in government’s proposal about land releases, housing upgrades and the building of new houses. He said, “I would like to know more about why my family should sell our land to the Evaton Renewal Project or sub-divide the land. How will this benefit my family and Evaton as a whole? Maybe the sub-division of our land could resolve the current family conflict,” he said.

The Evaton Development Forum (EDF) and the Community Liaison Officers have met with Moshebeng and will be holding discussions with the family members. “We have extended our support and assistance to Granny Segage and her family,” says Lovemore Moremi, Deputy Chairman of the Evaton Development Forum.

Councillor Gqelosha said, “Both the EDF and the Land Release Team will do their best to assist each stand owner. We realise that every stand will have its own challenges with issues about family ownership. But we are committed to finding solutions for the people of Evaton”.

According to Lovemore Moremi, “House building and upgrades is the priority number one of the EDF and therefore the land release programme is very important for us. We want people to talk to us about this because community people with big land sites must assist us by sub-dividing their lands so that other people can have ‘formal housing’. Everyone will benefit from this Provincial government programme of land release and we would also be able to have proper toilets and sanitation and water provision, street-lights and electricity for all”.