May, 04 2022 - Following the handover of five factories by the Public Assets Community Based Tenants and Owners Association (Pactoa) on the 13th of April 2022, the tenant association takes a firm move to honour its commitment. The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and Pactoa concluded an agreement in January 2022 for the handover of all the ECDC properties that are under the control of Pactoa.
Subsequent to calls made by Pactoa to its affiliates to participate in the ECDC Property Leasehold Normalisation process that would have granted the unauthorized occupants an opportunity to formalize their occupation. Pactoa has moved to clear the ECDC properties currently held by its affiliates, and or unauthorized occupants with a view to handing over the erstwhile invaded properties to the ECDC.
Another milestone was reached on the 4th of May 2022, where over 10 residential properties were handed over to the ECDC by Pactoa. Commenting on the matter, the Mthatha ECDC Regional Manager Mr. Julius Nobanda welcomed the handover. Mr Nobanda highlighted that “the handover of these properties by Pactoa is in keeping with the memorandum of agreement concluded between the Corporation and Pactoa wherein Pactoa had made an undertaking to return to the ECDC all the Corporation’s assets under their control. Mr. Nobanda further made a call to the Pactoa affiliates to visit the ECDC offices to normalize their occupation as per the previous calls made.
This handover shall enable the ECDC to undertake the necessary repairs and refurbishments desperately needed. The effecting of repairs on the units shall create an opportunity for a stock of leasehold units to meet the demand in the area.
The ECDC continues to extend its invite to those who are authorized occupants; expired lease and non-paying, to come and make arrangements for arrear payments and lease renewal. The ECDC also noted with concern that some of the unauthorized occupants were sub-letting the Corporations’ properties to students who have been unfortunately affected by the handover process, the Corporation thus extends an invite to the parents of these affected students who may wish to secure a lease agreement with the ECDC and safeguard the student’s accommodation, to visit the ECDC Offices in Mthatha during office working hours.
Eastern Cape Development Corporation.