How is it possible for a local municipality and a provincial department to embark on an extensive official project with public funds, without the prescribed authorization? Which individuals are accountable for such unlawful conduct? Who will be responsible for whatever losses are being suffered and damage being caused in the process?

These are questions for which as yet no answers have been forthcoming with regard to the unlawful multi-million rand Songozwi township development project embarked upon by the Makhado Municipality, with the financial backing of the Limpopo Provincial Department of Local Government and Housing.

Building material and equipment for the project, involving the erection of 63 houses in a highly sensitive environment, with a known scarcity of suitable drinking water, right next to the culturally significant traditional village of the curator of the Ramabulana royal cemetery, was carted along a private road across private property in open violation of a previous court order. The court order was issued after the Makhado Municipality had earlier made itself guilty of trespassing and malicious damage to property.

The project has been forced to a halt by Environmental Trade and Protection, after having established that no issued authorization exists for it. The enforcement steps taken to halt the development followed indepth investigations by several departmental agencies. Officials from Polokwane visited the site and took the matter up with the involved parties. The completion of several unlawfully erected RDP-type structures already under construction were allowed, but all construction had to be stopped by Thursday (16th) this week.

None of the prescribed environmental impact studies was undertaken and none of the major pre-conditions for such a development was honoured by either the department or the municipality. No acceptable reason for the size and explanation for the placement of the project were given.

The question which most probably will still reverberate through the halls of the provincial legislator and possibly in parliament is: How could such obviously irresponsible action on such a scale, involving millions of rands in taxpayers´ money, endangering the environment and cultural heritage, evade the scrutiny of senior officials up to the highest level in both the municipality and the province?

While legal action against the latest violation is still underway, the solemn agreement between stakeholders on the usage of the disputed access route to Songozwi was once again dramatically ignored last weekend, when masses of shredded paper were used to mark the route for guests attending a meeting at Songozwi. According to the agreement, the stakeholders will act with mutual respect and endeavour to work together to further the tourist potential of the area.

“The entire mountain from the N1 and along the Bluegumsport road was littered,” said one irate resident of the area - which has been developed by major private investments into a prime tourist retreat on the mountain top. The litter covered the full length of the tourist access route.