Set to stay

Residents refuse to move for taxi rank

RESIDENTS of the informal settlements of Silvertown and Gauteng are refusing to be temporarily relocated to allow for the extension of the multimillion rand intermodal transport system in Queenstown.

Lukhanji Municipality met with residents of the settlements last week to request their relocation to the Inkwanca informal settlement await- ing the construction of new houses in New Rathwick. The land on which the two settlements are located is on the same site as the extended R59-million transport development.

Speaking during a community consultation with the ward councillors of the affected areas, councillor Bulelwa Rani, councillor Xoliswa Mbasana, Lukhanji institutional development member Mzwamadoda Fuku and Lukhanji human settlement head Andiswa Hulushe, community leader Totomi Noyila said the move was not going to happen. “You can not take people from a shack and send them to another shack. If the municipality wants to move us they must give us sites with water, electricity and toilets.”

Noyila said their building materials would not withstand being used to construct new shelters.

Hulushe said beneficiaries on the RDP housing list were being moved. “We have the list of the people who own shacks in both areas and we are moving the people based on those lists.”

Fuku said the local authority may assist with nails. “We noted your complaints of moving from one shack to another but (we) will come back and set a date when we will engage the community.”

Rani said the issues of the residents would be raised with council, with Hulushe promising feedback.

At the special council meeting on Friday, Lukhanji executive mayor Nozi Makanda said the directorate of human settlement and land development had been asked by the directorate of technical services to avail land to execute the project.

There was no sanitation and water provision on the site and public participation was needed.