The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) stepped in to assist Bredell agricultural holdings residents and businessowners who are being targeted by the Ekurhuleni Metro with exorbitant administrative fines.
Some property owners have been fined up to R775 000 for alleged violations of building regulations. The Metro has already issued approximately R10 million in fines to landowners.
These fines are imposed without proper consultation, transparency or a fair process, leaving landowners with crippling financial penalties for mixed land use, which often dates back years.
The Metro has reportedly identified 188 so-called “violations” in Bredell, despite acknowledging that it has only one building inspector and one town planning inspector assigned to the area.
This raises serious questions about the validity of the enforcement process, and whether the Metro is complying with national legislation such as the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) and the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, which require fairness, consultation and reasonable administrative conduct.
The Bredell Property Owners’ Association, representing approximately 50 landowners, has formally approached the Freedom Front Plus for assistance.
The party attended the Property Owners’ Association meeting on Monday evening and asked the Customer Service Manager, Khosy Dhladhla-Mbatha, who chaired the meeting, to review all fines.
The party further insisted that a regulation programme be introduced to enable landowners to legally formalise their land use rather than face punitive measures.
The Freedom Front Plus will also approach the Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Jacob Mamabolo, to ensure that the Ekurhuleni Metro is held accountable for its administrative conduct and non-compliance with constitutional obligations.
The Freedom Front Plus takes a firm stand with the residents and small businesses of Bredell for fairness, transparency and respect for property rights.
The party will keep defending law-abiding citizens against municipal overreach, while promoting a balanced approach to spatial development in Ekurhuleni.
