R18bn Salvopkop development plan divides community

Residents of Salvokop, in Tshwane, are seemingly divided over plans to develop the area to a reported tune estimated at R18 billion.

While some residents claimed there was no clarity as to what the development plan entailed, others seemed content with the proposed development.

During a community meeting on Tuesday, Tshwane civic movement chairperson Khomotso Sephelle said residents had not been told what the government plans would entail.

“We are being promised opportunities as community members, however, we have been not told what this exactly means.

“We are told that some of our homes will be demolished to accommodate their plans. But we have not been told where these homeowners will be placed after their houses are demolished.”

He claimed phase 1 of the so-called Tshwane inner city regeneration programme was when the planned demolition was expected to occur. Only in phase 3 would residential areas be completed.

“So where will we go?” he demanded to know.

“They cannot bring developments that will put community members out on the streets.”

Sephelle said residents also wanted clarity on the type of jobs they would get during and after the planned project.

He alleged that the Salvokop ward councillor and other officials were “not singing the same tune as their superiors when engaging with residents on the project”.

Sephelle believed that government was rushing the project in Salvokop without consulting all community members.

“We are not against this project, but we are against our people being mistreated.”

But not all community members shared Sephelle’s concerns.

“The people who are against this project do not actually reside in Salvokop,” said local resident Fortunate Mampuru.

“They only own homes which they rent out to tenants for money. They are the ones disrupting community engagements like this.”

Spokesperson for the minister of public works and infrastructure Zara Nicholson told the meeting that the properties being rented out actually belonged to the department.

“There is no agreement between the department and the community to sub-let these properties.”

Nicholson said research has shown that there was a clear demand for housing within the precinct.

The research also showed that there was an increasing number of informal dwellings and backyard dwellings in the area.

An called enumeration study would form part of the project’s community engagement process.

“This will ensure that the Salvokop community’s needs are accommodated in the precinct,” she said.

Future plans for the housing development would be jointly done with the metro and department of human settlements.

She said the planning of the residential section of Salvokop would run concurrently with the first two phases.

“The study’s results will determine the land-use rights to be applied for to develop Salvokop’s residential section.

“Phase 3 and 4 will include mixed use and residential sections.”

Nicholson said the project would bring bricklaying, landscaping and painting jobs among others, to locals during the construction phase of the project.

“Locals in the area will be given first preference and where feasible they will be given training,” said Nicholson.

Tshwane housing and human settlement divisional head Sello Chipu told the meeting that the community and ward councillors should elect a project steering committee to oversee the project.

This article was republished from Rekord East with permission

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