The planned relocation of Alex residents temporarily housed at the Marlboro Sports Club was aborted at the last hour.
They were supposed to move to new corrugated iron single-room housing units in Marlboro, but some of these units were incomplete and residents had other concerns regarding the occupancy of the new dwellings.
The residents, calling themselves the Affected Alex Community, were moved to the club last November from outside of Botlhabela Ext, Phase 2 flats where they had erected temporary shelter or slept in the open. This was after being evicted from the flats they had occupied illegally.
The group’s public relations officer, Egnes Mothapo, said the relocation didn’t materialise because the city council hadn’t clarified terms and conditions for occupancy, as well as the residents’ concerns on security, health and tenure.
“The matter is now being handled by our lawyers so that we can know what we are getting ourselves into,” she said.
Mothapo said they had hoped to be housed in completed housing developments in the area which have been unoccupied for years.
She added that councillor Lilian Kekana was supportive of their plight and pending the resolution of the matter, the residents would remain at the club.
One resident who did move into one of the units, Ellias Makhanya said, “You only get to realise what you have gotten yourself into once you have relocated. The foundation [of the unit] is uneven and rainwater will wash away the surrounding soil making the structures more unstable.”
Details: Egnes Mothapo 079 935 0245.
