The Lourier Park housing project has sparked widespread tensions between residents and the Mangaung Metro Municipality (MMM), with reports of protests emerging over the municipality’s lack of transparency regarding beneficiary allocation and the developmental plan.
The dispute follows last week’s Free State High Court ruling, which dismissed an urgent application by the DA seeking to halt the development.
The DA argued that the municipality was preparing land for housing without adequate bulk water, electricity, and sanitation infrastructure. The party maintained that settling vulnerable residents on unserviced land would violate municipal by-laws and basic rights.
The court, however, dismissed the application, allowing the municipality to proceed with the housing project aimed at providing residential sites to qualifying beneficiaries. Despite the ruling, tension regarding the project has continued to grow among some residents.
National Service Delivery Forum chairperson Potso Motoko accused the municipality of failing to properly engage stakeholders and existing residents throughout the process. “MMM is sidelining people who were there when this process started and those who fought for residential sites,” said Motoko.
He further alleged that the municipality has not communicated effectively with Lourier Park out for the new housing project,” he said. Motoko also questioned the beneficiary allocation process, claiming stakeholders were not given an opportunity to verify lists before allocations began.
“We expected stakeholders to be called together to compare beneficiary lists so that those who previously lost their properties could benefit. Instead, there are concerns that deserving beneficiaries may have residents, many of whom are concerned about the impact development may have on service delivery and infrastructure in the area. The municipality is supposed to engage residents and explain how service delivery will be rolled been overlooked,” he said.
In response to these concerns, residents gathered in protest on Wednesday (10/06) at Lourier Park, demanding greater transparency and clarity regarding the development.
The municipality is expected to engage with residents and address concerns around beneficiary selection and future service delivery plans.
The metro failed to respond to an enquiry by time of print.
Clement Matroos
[email protected]
