Metro going ahead with relocation of Angelo informal settlement
The Human Settlements MMC, Lesiba Mpya, told the residents of Angelo informal settlement that, despite the considerable opposition to the relocation of the community, the metro would go ahead with its plans to relocate them to Germiston.
The MMC met with the community of Angelo informal settlement called Mission, on September 23, outside the Angelo Hotel building, where he updated them on the relocation process.
He told the crowd that relocations were expected to start on October 5.
There were about 538 structures and 501 were ready for occupancy, while the rest were being finalised.
During the question-and-answer session, residents, however, made it clear that they were against the plan and vowed to fight back should the metro use force to move them.
Residents also demanded to know what would happen to the excess of people living in the area, because the number of residents outstripped the number of structures being built.
They stated that they were not happy with the metro’s decision to spend millions of Rand on purchasing a piece of land deemed unsafe, to be used to temporarily accommodate them. They said the metro should have first consulted all the stakeholders. They added that they would have advised the department to rather spend the money on procuring a nearby piece of land to establish a permanent township.
While answering the questions, despite all the harsh criticism, the MMC stuck to his guns and said, “You are going.”
He also confirmed that although the estimated population of Angelo Mission is about 2 000 people, the project consists of about 538 structures.
Lesiba told the crowd that the occupancy audit revealed that there were 324 homeowners who had built extra shacks in their yards and rented them out to other people.
He, however, promised that those who were not on the occupancy audit report would also be assisted after the homeowners had been moved to their new homes.
He further stated that the metro was busy constructing 3 300 serviced stands for the community of Angelo in Comet Extension 17. He said the project was expected to be completed by the 2017/2018 financial year.
“We will then take you from Germiston to your permanent serviced stands in Comet.
“Do not allow your chances of development to be undermined by people who have interests here (in Angelo informal settlement).
“We want to say to the people who want to co-operate that you must give government a chance to help you.
We are her to assist those who need help and those who don’t want… no problem. When we come back here we will be taking people to their places where they belong, because this place is privately owned and belongs to Living Africa
Responding to the reports that the land the metro wants to use to accommodate the community is dangerous, Lesiba admitted that there were areas of concerns, but measures had been taken to ensure that people’s safety was not compromised.
“We were given instructions by the court to maintain that people will be safe. The dangerous places were fenced off.
“The mineshaft has been sealed and fenced off. We are not taking people to unsafe places.
“We are here to serve the nation, and this decision that we are taking is in the best interest of the people.”
The meeting, however, ended with a furious row, with residents taking to the streets to protest against the planned relocation of their homes. -@FanieFLK
