Mamelodi flood victims take Tshwane to court over relocation plans

Mamelodi flood victims want to take the Tshwane metro to court after it was decided to relocate only a quarter of them to a safe place.

This after the metro met with leaders of all informal settlements in regions 5 and 6 to present the final relocation plan.

The meeting was held at Nellmapius Community Centre towards the end of last month.

“Relocation will start on 15 March,” said human settlements MMC Mpho M. Mehlape-Zimu, who was also at the meeting.

“Clearance of the site is expected to be completed by 28 February for phase 2A relocation which will accommodate 650 households,” said MMC Mehlape-Zimu.

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She said the households would be moved from Eerste Fabrieke, along K54 Route, 77 informal settlement and Mamelodi Transit Camp 1.

Mehlape-Zimu said that the metro has a list of all informal settlements in low-lying areas that may be vulnerable to flooding in preparation for any eventuality.

This included evacuation to other council-owned properties if needs be.

Residents of Willow Farm and 77  Informal Settlement in Nellmapius fear for their lives.

“Mamelodi is landlocked and there are no land portions of notable extent available within the proximity for relocation and/or human settlements purposes,” she said.

“The metro has recently acquired parcels of land suitable for human settlements purposes. This will not only address the recent flooded areas, but also address the challenges of the informal settlements in regions 5 and 6.”

According to her, phase 1 of the relocation process has been completed.

“The metro has budgeted the funds for relocation and allocation of stands to the identified informal settlements in regions 5 and 6 as per the approved relocation plan.”

December Matlala, one of the flood victims’ representatives, said leaving some behind will divide the residents.

“It will definitely disrupt the relocation process,” said Matlala.

“No one would like to be left behind and wait for the metro to relocate another group because it would take months.”

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Matlala complained that the meeting was not fruitful as “they [the metro] have made so many changes without consulting residents”.

“The metro has made changes to the list of people who were expected to be relocated this year without consulting us,” he said.

Meanwhile, with the past few weeks’ rain, residents claimed to again be sleeping with one eye open out of fear of another flood.

Madala Mathebula, 45, said “we are no longer safe, because of the heavy rains”.

Informal settlement leaders attending a meeting at Nellmapius multipurpose centre.

“The metro must speed up the relocation process and move us to a safer place,” said Mathebula.

“Maybe they are waiting for people to die first before they take us seriously.

“The government is failing us today due to corruption and empty promises.”

Mathebula said the flood victims are having sleepless nights out of fears of being hit by another flood.

“It is time the metro reconsiders the proposed plan.”

Some residents have thus decided to take the legal route to resolve the matter, they say.

This article was republished from Rekord East with permission 

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