Metro explore various options to secure stripped council-owned property

Concrete slabs and a few steel frames are all that are left of the multi-million rand structures constructed by the municipality to temporarily accommodate the community of Angelo Informal Settlement in Knights.

The municipality recently spent more than R12-million to purchase a piece of land in Marlands, where they also spent a further R22-m on building hundreds of prefabricated structures to accommodate the Angelo community.

Opposition parties, the beneficiaries and concerned residents objected to the project from the very beginning, but council pressed on with the project.

When the project was almost completed, the metro tried to move people to their new homes but faced resistance with people reminding the officials that they had initially indicated that they were not interested in being moved from Boksburg to an area in Germiston they deemed unsafe.

Germiston residents also objected to the move and they took the matter to court where the project was later halted indefinitely. The property was then left unattended and remained unprotected against thieves and vandals.

Some critics of the project argued that, firstly, the theft was as a result of the municipality’s apparent failure to secure the property. Secondly, they argued that the project was doomed to fail because the metro apparently failed to follow the right procedure and the fact that the land they bought is deemed dangerous and unsuitable for human habitation.

To make a bad situation even worse for the municipality, land invaders have recently repeatedly attempted to illegally occupy the land in question, causing major headaches for the police.

• Residents blame council

Residents of the small informal settlement, consisting of about 100 people, located behind the Life Esidimeni Waverley Care Centre, which is next to the vandalised council-owned property, also blame council for what had happened to the structures.

They said they have been staying in the area for years, yet the municipality overlooked them in favour of people who are residing outside of the area.

“We also want this land and we have run out of patience after waiting for the municipality for years to electrify our current shacks or at least allocate us new permanent serviced stands on this piece of land,” said one of the residents, Muziwamadoda Ngcwatywa.

Ngcwatywa said they would have fought tooth and nail against the vandals and thieves if the metro also allocated them stands on the land next to them.

• Metro’s response

According to Themba Gadebe, metro spokesperson, upon the completion of the constructed structures, the metro embarked on a process of allocating the structures to the intended community of Angelo Hotel.

“However, this was halted by the court interdict granted against the metro. The metro thus embarked on the provision of security to secure the property while the court matters are resolved. Unfortunately, funds got depleted in this regard and the metro opted for periodic monitoring by the EMPD.”

On when action will be taken to secure the remaining structures against theft, Gadebe said various options are being explored by the metro to secure the structures which entail ongoing patrolling by the EMPD.

Regarding the metro’s plan for the property, Gadebe said the metro has planned to use the property for residential purposes.

“The previous owner had lodged the application with the metro planning for township establishment which was approved by Tribunal in May 2017.

“The court judgement against the illegal occupation of the Angelo Hotel Informal Settlement ordered the metro to secure alternative accommodation for the residents.

“The National Housing Code also enjoins the metro to provide emergency housing assistance whenever communities are facing, among other, court eviction processes.”

Regarding why the metro apparently not followed advice to not procure the piece of land as it is deemed dangerous and unsuitable for human habitation, Gadebe said the metro undertook due diligence to assess the suitability of such land for residential development.

“It is only pockets of the land in question which were deemed not suitable for residential development and such do not form part of the proposed residential township.

“As indicated, the matter was placed before the City Planning Tribunal and the township was approved for residential development.”

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