Premier Panyaza Lesufi Announces June Deadline to Halt New Illegal Settlements Amid Gauteng Service Crisis

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi warns of organized infrastructure sabotage and announces a ban on new informal settlements to protect provincial services.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 29, 2026, 8:19 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from EWN

Cracking Down on Land Invasions and Informal Settlements

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has set a firm deadline of June 1 to prevent the formation of any new informal settlements across the province. In a detailed interview, the Premier explained that the "overnight" emergence of these settlements significantly strains provincial resources, as the government is legally and socially obligated to provide immediate water, sanitation, and refuse services. By profiling land invasion networks and deploying coordinated law enforcement, the provincial government aims to halt the rapid redirection of budgets that currently destabilizes planned service delivery.

Combating "Organized Sabotage" of Public Infrastructure

Lesufi raised the alarm regarding what he described as professional and organized vandalism targeting key state assets. Unlike opportunistic cable theft, the Premier noted that large-scale installations, including mini-substations and traffic control systems, are being systematically removed by experienced groups. To counter this, a joint response team comprising police, private security, and intelligence services has been deployed. New tracking technologies are being embedded in cables and traffic lights, while stricter scrapyard regulations are being enforced to dry up the market for stolen infrastructure.

Financial Strain and the Shift to Green Energy

The province’s revenue model is facing an unprecedented threat as businesses and high-income households migrate away from the traditional power grid. Lesufi highlighted that the widespread adoption of solar power by shopping complexes and factories has led to a "huge revenue drop" for municipalities. This loss, coupled with high unemployment and widespread illegal connections, has created a fiscal gap that makes sustaining high-level service delivery increasingly difficult. The Premier warned that the shrinking revenue base is directly tied to the province's ability to maintain existing infrastructure.