Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements Paul Mashatile has told the community of Diepkloof and Noordgesig in Soweto that government will take land without owners and develop it for public use.

He said this during a community meeting which was hosted at the Vuyani Mabaxa Park over the weekend.

This is after the leadership of the community had told MEC Mashatile that they had identified land that did not have an owner on the title deed and wanted government to build on it for them.

“I am going to investigate if that land does not have an owner. If it does not have it‚ we will take the land and we do not have to pay anybody. Even if the land has an owner‚ if it is for public good‚ the law allows us to pay the minimum value for it not market value‚” he said.

He said that some land owners triple the price of land when they hear that government wants to buy it but that the Constitution allows government to expropriate land.

“The Constitution does not tie our hands‚ there is no need for debate‚ let’s go and get the land‚” he said.

Mashatile said the issue of access to land was raised in every area he visited and government was in agreement that people should identify land.

“The government will verify the status of the land and see what kind of development will be suitable for it‚” he said.

He said that government has prioritised the installation of basic services such as water‚ sewer and electricity.

“We will allocate the stand to beneficiaries and also give them title deeds‚ as they are a proof of ownership. Not having a title deed might discourage people from building for themselves‚” he said.

Mashatile added that government had also identified land in Southern Farms outside Soweto that‚ when developed‚ would yield over 20‚000 houses and people of Diepkloof and Noordgesig would be prioritised.