Motshekga “commits” to secure vandalised Northern Cape properties – defenceWeb

In the wake of an oversight visit to a Postmasburg, Northern Cape, suburb, a local councillor “received a commitment” from Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga to secure vandalised properties allocated to the SA National Defence Force (SANDF).

Postmasburg is part of Tsantsabane Local Municipality which includes the SA Army Combat Training Centre (CTC) at Lohathla 34 km away. The 158 000 hectare CTC hosts, among others, the annual SA Army capability and readiness exercise Vuk’uhlome, which sees an influx of troops supported by maintenance, logistic and medical units. Personnel from these units are housed both at CTC and in houses and “temporary park homes” declared uninhabitable over a decade ago in Postmasburg, according to Councillor James Boucher.

The May oversight visit was followed by a Parliamentary question to Motshekga posed by National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Member of Parliament (MP) Ofentse Mokae. The Northern Cape Democratic Alliance (DA) public representative was told by Motshekga guards have since been “stationed at military properties to curb vandalism and unauthorised occupation of houses not yet allocated to SANDF members”. A hundred and eighty-two properties are allocated to the national defence force in the town with 151 allocated to SANDF personnel.

Temporary trailer park homes used by soldiers and other SANDF personnel apparently declared uninhabitable more than 10 years ago also enjoyed ministerial attention. According to Boucher authority to write off the “burnt trailer park” was requested in February this year with the disposal process “ongoing”.

Two of the trailer park houses caught alight last year, allegedly due to electrical faults. The first fire destroyed an unoccupied park home while the second claimed the lives of the wife and daughter of a sergeant, stationed at Lohatla.

Boucher will monitor progress on the demolition and “implementation of promised security measures” and report to Mokae – if follow-up is needed – via further Parliamentary questions. Mokae, in turn and according to a statement, will “put pressure” on Minister Motshekga to repair and neaten up its “neglected properties”.