MMC for Human Settlements Ofentse Madzebatela. Picture: Jacques Naude/ Independent Newspapers
Some Mamelodi flood victims have voiced disappointment with a directive that they should go back to their shacks near the riverbanks from where they fled in February 2020 during the storm.
Many people, who were left displaced when their shacks were swept away by heavy rains, have been living inside Nellmapius community hall.
MMC for Human Settlements Ofentse Madzebatela, recently said according to the assessment conducted by the City all flood victims except nine still have their shacks at the informal settlement where they were rescued four years ago.
Subsequent to the assessment, he said, an agreement was reached with the community leaders stating that those with structures would go back to their shacks for the relocations to resume in line with the original shack markings.
During a meeting with the victims on July 9, Madzebatela addressed concerns by the nine families “who have now agreed to vacate the hall with the assistance of the City”.
“The purpose of the visit was to discuss and determine what needs to be done to fast track the vacation of the hall, so the community can use the hall for its intended purpose. We also outlined the relocation plans and the progress that has been made to date,”he said.
Speaking on behalf of the victims, Nikiwe Skhosana, said they were unhappy with the directive that they must vacate the hall and go back to their shacks built on unsafe land.
She said many victims rebuilt their shacks after they were destroyed by the storm.
“They want us to go back to the shacks from where we were relocated because of the floods. We have expressed our displeasure with that move because the place where they want us to go poses danger to our lives,”she said.
According to Skhosana, people were worried about their safety should it rain heavily while waiting for the municipality to relocate them to a newly-proposed township.
Madzebatela said the envisaged date for the relocation is November 2024.
He said: “The City received a parcel of land in Pienaarspoort from the provincial government, and all the affected families will be relocated there. Relocations will resume once the rehabilitation of the land in Pienaarspoort, which has been budgeted for, is completed.”
Skhosana said: “Some of us are single mothers, I am a mother of three and I don’t know what I would do if another heavy rain could come while we are still waiting to be relocated before November. Who is going to rescue us from the heavy rains? They kept stressing that nine people ought to go back, but we asked them to help us in removing our shacks from that place and resettle us at the temporary location, instead.”
Madzebatela said the City is committed to the relocations and believes that everyone deserves to live in safe and liveable environments.
“We also urge communities to stop illegally invading land and building structures on land earmarked for development by the City,” he said.
Council in March approved a report proposing for an establishment of Pienaarspoort township Extension 25.
The City, according to the report, should develop the proposed township into housing units, ensure access to adequate housing and provision of services such as water, sanitation, electricity, road and storm water drainage.
Last year in December the City embarked on another relocation process, which promised to resettle more than 500 households from flood-affected Mamelodi areas to Leeuwfontein Extension 27.
Pretoria News
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