KARATARA NEWS – An elderly Karatara homeowner and her daughter are embroiled in a civil case that has been dragging on for months after a structure was illegally erected on an open portion of land abutting her property on the night of 25 June 2022.
The 73-year-old Martha Stander reported the erection of the illegal structure to Law Enforcement, as required by law. A civil case ensued, with Stander's daughter, Zelma Matthee, acting on behalf of her mother. Stander is unable to handle the case herself due to her age and chronic illness.
The squatters attempted to take out a restraining order against Maree after an alleged incident in December 2022, but the temporary protection order was never granted. The squatters also tried to file a restraining order against Stander but it was not granted.
According to Matthee and Stander, the illegal squatters do not permanently reside at the illegal structure. They only frequent the structure on the weekends to stay for a few hours at a time.
It was also found that the illegal squatters have a permanent address at Concordia where they reside. In email communications between Matthee and a municipal official it was noted that the land parcel on which the illegal structure was erected belongs to the municipality and has not been allocated to any party.
The matter has caused great stress to Stander and her health has deteriorated as a result of the civil issues, claims Matthee. Stander states that she fears for her safety as verbal altercations have ensued between her family and the illegal squatters.
The Standers have brought the matter to the attention of the municipality and have engaged in extensive communication with the relevant departments to handle the matter, but with no resolve. On 22 March, Stander laid a formal complaint against the Knysna Municipality as it has not yet evicted the illegal squatters. The matter has yet to be addressed in court, but the court date has been postponed a number of times.
Despite multiple attempts to obtain comment on the matter from Knysna Municipality, at the time of going to print no feedback had yet been received.
The illegal structure is on municipal land
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