FAR NORTH
Bulletin 24 March 2017
www.bulletin.us.com
015 306 0198 • 072 930 1462 • 071 268 2543
R4
Rural ares:FREE • Platteland: GRATIS
匀䌀䄀一 䠀䔀刀䔀 嘀䄀吀䤀伀一
䤀䌀䔀 ☀ 䤀一一伀
䤀伀一Ⰰ 匀䔀刀嘀
The infamous Talana Hostel in Koedoe Street, in Tzaneen’s old industrial area, was destroyed by a raging inferno for the second time since 2007 when 180 shacks were guttered. This most recent fire is believed to have started during the early hours of Saturday morning. In a matter of hours it had razed 150 shacks to the ground. Two people lost their lives in their sleep. One of the deceased was an employee at Fairview Lodge, Walter Relela. At the time of going to print the name and age of the second deceased had not yet been released. Following the fire, the Acting Social Development MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, visited the affected area along with officials of the GTM on Sunday. The municipality assisted the families of Talana with temporary shelter and meals from SASSA. Talana has long been a bone of contention between the residents of this squatter camp and the Greater Tzaneen
SMIT ADVISEURS FSP: 44595
吀娀䄀一䔀䔀一 ⼀ ㈀㠀 匀䬀䤀刀嘀䤀一䜀 匀吀刀䔀䔀吀 ⼀ 㔀 ㌀ 㘀 ㌀㌀ ⼀ 吀娀䄀一䔀䔀一䀀吀夀刀䔀刀䄀䌀䬀⸀䌀伀⸀娀䄀
Municipality. Tensions between the two started in July 2007 after the municipality refused to help the squatters who became homeless after their shacks were ravaged by a fire. At the time, the GTM was busy with a RDP housing scheme and promises were made to certain residents of the hostel that they would benefit from this scheme. Eventually, after a very lengthy battle, 100 of the affected residents were issued with low-cost housing. Soon after, the squatter camp filled up again. “Some of these people have RDP houses which they rent out to other people in the area for up to R3600 per month. They come stay here in the squatter camp because they know that if a fire burns their shacks, the GTM will give them another house,” said one of the residents at the hostel. “There are a few officials from the GTM who also own some of these houses which they use as a form of generating income. It is not fair to the rest of us who
live in squalor.” Talana is also known for its attraction to criminal elements. Escaped convicts, illegal immigrants, petty thieves, drug dealers and gangsters are known to frequent this area. Will Talana be rebuilt? Is it legal for people to occupy this section of industrial property? Do the occupiers of this land pay rates and taxes? Can SASSA afford to fit the bill for food and shelter for the now homeless residents of that hostel? Bulletin tried to get comment from the GTM on the allegations and to commend them on their efforts in assisting with the temporary housing of the affected squatters. There was no response from Neville Ndlala, the spokesperson for the GTM. Instead, Ndlala removed the Bulletin from the municipality’s public WhatsApp group and now refuses to respond to media enquiries. — Joe Dreyer
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