Metro to discuss fate of invaders at July indaba
A housing indaba set to take place later in July will help the Bay municipality decide the fate of the illegal land invaders in the Shukushukuma informal settlement in Motherwell even though it has a court order authorising it to evict them.
The indaba, to be hosted by the national department of human settlements in Port Elizabeth, will debate ways to deal with the growing problem of land invasions.
The metro’s political head of human settlements, councillor Nqaba Bhanga, said on Wednesday that it would hold off making a decision on what to do about Shukushukuma – where more than 3,000 people have been squatting since December – until after the indaba.
He was responding to comments made by UDM councillor Mongameli Bobani, who on Tuesday visited the area and accused the municipality of being an uncaring government.
Bobani said mayor Athol Trollip had refused to use the R178m windfall from the National Treasury a few months ago to build new houses and install services.
Bhanga said land would be bought in Seaview and Lorraine in this financial year.
“We have decided to develop sites and services to make sure people are relocated to places where there are sites and services,” Bhanga said.
Asked about Shukushukuma, he said the department was aware of the settlement but would only decide later on how to proceed.
“On July 24-26 there is going to be a housing indaba.
“As part of the indaba, we are going to negotiate on the best solution to deal with the people because we have a court order against them.
“We are going to decide if we will put services there or if we are going to remove them.
“Everyone will come to PE from the national and provincial [human settlements] departments. They will come here and develop a plan to help prevent land invasions.”
Bhanga warned that the department would be using a new system to root out corruption in the allocation of houses.
Meanwhile, Bobani visited the Qunu informal settlement, in Chatty Extension, to speak to residents who are also struggling without basic services.