Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Uncertainty over Langa residents’ relocation
IT IS still not clear when and where the residents of Langa will be relocated, but residents in Eerste River who are opposing relocation to their area have launched a petition.
The Langa residents built shacks on railway tracks after the train service was halted as a result of cable theft and vandalism.
The affected line is the Central Line, which is the route from Cape Town to Chris Hani and Kapteinsklip stations.
The residents were adamant that they would not move to any unserviced piece of land when the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) tried to evict them.
A piece of land in Eerste River was identified as a possible place for their relocation.
Prasa said they will be engaging with both communities on the way forward.
The Eerste River community is not happy and signed a petition against the relocation.
Zelda Lategan said the residents have signed the petition opposing the move and handed it over to the ward councillor.
“At this point we don’t know how far it’s gone but the councillor was supposed to hand it to the mayor,” she said.
She said they had not engaged with Prasa.
Ward 14 councillor Kariena Mare said the petition was not handed over to her, but the residents opened a website where they were signing one and writing down their grievances.
Mare said as far as she was aware the residents from Langa will not be moved to her ward.
“I heard there is another possible earmarked piece of land they will be moved to,” she said.
Community leader from Langa, Mxoleleni Ngutyana, said they had a meeting with Prasa last week where they were given feedback on how many households would be relocated.
The rail agency wants the central line to be running again by December 1.
“We were supposed to meet again yesterday (Friday), when they were going to tell us when we’ll be moved
and when the site visit will take place, but they postponed,” said Ngutyana.
Prasa spokesperson Bane Ndlovu said they had not yet received the petition.
He said the consultations with all stakeholders, including the receiving community, was on-going and expected to be completed before the end of this month.
“We have started with the Langa community, this week we are busy with the Philippi, and next week we have planned to meet the Eerste River community leaders and representatives,” he said.