By Lebone Rodah Mosima
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) says it is making progress in reclaiming hijacked and neglected state-owned buildings as it intensifies its Operation Bring Back (OBB) campaign to recover properties that have been unlawfully occupied or transferred.
Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala addressed residents in Mogale City, Gauteng, on Thursday as part of the nationwide initiative to identify and recover state properties that were illegally occupied or transferred after 1994.
“Many of these properties became vacant following the post-1994 restructuring of government departments and were subsequently occupied,” Zikalala said.
He said government intends to reclaim and repurpose the properties for community facilities, development centres, shelters for victims of gender-based violence and femicide, social or commercial housing, and government offices to reduce the state’s rental costs.
The campaign has already been rolled out in KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and North West before reaching Mogale City.
“The process involves conducting assessments to determine the most appropriate use for each property and working in an integrated manner with the South African Police Service, provincial public works departments and local municipalities,” Zikalala said.
He added that many hijacked buildings had become centres of criminal activity, particularly drug-related crime, and said reclaiming and rehabilitating the properties would help restore communities while ensuring state assets are properly maintained and utilised.
The DPWI said Operation Bring Back was first established in April 2011 and initially relied on members of the public to report suspected cases of state property misappropriation through a dedicated call centre.
However, the department said the programme ceased operating in October 2011 before any cases were investigated.
It has since relaunched Operation Bring Back as an internal programme to identify, investigate and recover state properties that may have been unlawfully disposed of or transferred to the detriment of the state.
According to the department, the programme targets properties that were disposed of without following proper procedures, unlawfully transferred to other state custodians, private individuals, companies or trusts, incorrectly transferred, unlawfully occupied or encroached upon, or sold below market value without a valid public interest reason.
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