Morgenzon: 04 April 2025 – The Gert Sibande District Municipality (GSDM) has successfully used its internal resources and completed all town planning and surveying processes for the design of the Morgenzon Ext 5 township in Ward 14. This was announced by the District Executive Mayor Cllr Walter Mngomzulu during the official handover of completed work to the Lekwa Local Municipality. The handover took place on Friday, 4 April 2025 in Morgenzon.
The District Municipality undertook this task following a request made in 2019 to decommission the landfill site which is an eyesore and environmental hazard at the entrance of Morgenzon. The GSDM commissioned and concluded geotechnical and environmental impact assessment studies for the new landfill site which was subsequently invaded. In order to relocate the residents who invaded the site, Portion 3 of the farm Morgenzon was then identified for township establishment and the GSDM was requested the municipality to assist with the planning for the development of the site.
Due to limited resources the GSDM, using its internal capacity of professionals within the Town Planning, Land Surveying and GIS professions undertook to plan and design the township which has yielded 241 residential erven due to flood line restrictions. Some specialist studies like environmental impact assessment, flood line and storm water management plans were outsourced with the bulk of the work being done by the GSDM team. The District Mayor emphasized that the work achieved is within the context of building a developmental capable state, with emphasis on reduction of outsourcing whilst utilizing highly professional team of employees including our ISDG students.
The District Mayor strongly advised the Executive Mayor of Lekwa Local Municipality Cllr Sfiso Mngemezulu and his team that, whilst awaiting the approval of the General Plan, the municipality must urgently prioritise water reticulation as bulk engineering services in terms of water and sanitation is within reach from the site, saying that, this would avoid delays in availing the site for occupation and avoid impatience from residents.
This significant development takes place at a time where a high demand for residential land is a challenge which has seen local municipalities within the district struggle with land invasions. The site handover ceremony marked a milestone in the ongoing commitment of GSDM to support the local municipalities to improve the lives of the Gert Sibande community. The development of Morgenzon Ext 5 is in line with the district municipality’s broader vision of building sustainable communities, thereby promoting local economic development, and addressing the housing backlog in the district.
The work undertaken by GSDM included the preparation of Township Layout and demarcation of zones, preparation of Conditions of Establishment, conducting contour surveys preparation of SG Diagrams and pegging of the township, submission of SG Diagram and General Plan to Chief Surveyor General (CSG) for approval, spatial representation of the Township Layout and development of a web application that will be used to manage the township going forward.
All this work was at no cost to Lekwa Local Municipality as part of the GSDM’s municipal support programme. It is expected that the new sites will provide much-needed residential properties for local families, contributing to reducing the housing backlog in the area. Lekwa local Municipality Executive Mayor Cllr Mngemezulu committed to prioritise equipping the site with essential infrastructure, including, water, sanitation, and electricity, ensuring a good standard of living for future residents. He expressed appreciation to GSDM for its commitment to support local municipalities and for the capable manner shown in executing work using its internal capacity, which has given them an advantage to Fasttrack residential occupation.
The Morgenzon community welcomed the news with excitement during the Draft IDP and Budget Public Consultation by GSDM held soon after the ceremony at Sivukile Community Hall, Morgenzon. [ENDS]