Plastic View growth frustrates ratepayers
The metro says it is advancing with the establishment of a resettlement township for South African inhabitants living in the Plastic View informal settlement.
Ratepayers in Moreleta Park, Woodhill, Mooikloof and surroundings have reached boiling point regarding the decade-old Plastic View informal settlement.
Residents neighbouring Plastic View have raised concerns about the persistent growth of the settlement, crime and pollution.
The residents said their blood and sweat as well as property investments are going down the drain as value decreases and they are being plagued by crime, electricity overload and water outages due to the informal settlement.
Moreleta Park resident Stanley Fleming said there are over 1 000 inhabitants in the settlement, with more and more people moving in.
Fleming said, should the metro turn a blind eye to the problem, the settlement will grow massively.
“If there’s no permanent solution to this issue, the settlement will become a permanent home to immigrants.”
He believed there was a syndicate selling booze and narcotics and that it was renting out shacks in the settlement.
Plastic View is prone to fire outbreaks because residents use flammable materials to build shelter.
Fires have broken out multiple times in Plastic View and Cemetery View informal settlements, displacing some, while yet others have been maimed or killed.
In November, over 250 people lost their homes and personal belongings after 45 shacks were destroyed by fire in Plastic View.
Tshwane emergency services (EMS) spokesperson Deputy Chief Charles Mabaso said one resident was treated and then taken to hospital for smoke inhalation and moderate injuries while three others were treated for minor injury on the scene.
A Woodlands resident who chose to remain anonymous expressed a different opinion about Plastic View.
The resident said fellow residents adjacent to the settlement encourage the growth of the settlements by hiring settlement inhabitants for cheap labour.
“The residents hire them for gardening, washing, cleaning as well as building, this encourages others to come for employment prospects.”
Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the metro’s five-year old plan to provide improved living conditions for the hundreds of South African inhabitants in Plastic View and its companion Cemetery View, was in its developmental stage.
“The city appointed a service provider to establish a mixed-use residential township to be known as Pretorius Park Extension 40. This is on a portion of the remainder of Portion 284 of the Farm Garsfontein 374-JR, measuring 6.4 hectares and is located on the east of the Woodlands shopping mall,” Mashigo said.
He said Tshwane owned the property 900m away from Plastic View and Cemetery View.
Mashigo said a site for development to which to relocate the residents of Plastic View and Cemetery View has been identified.
“This development contributes much to the objective of the city to dismantle the spatial patterns. The development conforms to the principles of 2014 National Development Plan, 2016 Gauteng Spatial Development Framework and 2014 Regional Spatial Development Framework.”
Mashigo said these development plans spearhead spatial justice, resilience, sustainability and quality.
“The three plans conform to the following strategic development guidelines which are also evident through this proposed mixed used residential development for Pretorius Park EXT 40.”
ALSO READ: 250 people left homeless after fire guts 45 shacks in Plastic View informal settlement
He said the strategic developmental guidelines are as follows:
– The key principle is to focus densification and intensification in areas that are close to and/or well connected to primary and secondary municipal nodes such as Woodlands node.
– Enable higher density land developments and housing typologies in nodes, with the aim of creating integrated, accessible, permeable, mixed-use and high-intensity environments.
– Discourage new low-density residential developments in and around core economic areas, as well as the spatial fragmentation resulting from private estate development.
– Redirect housing subsidies towards the development of affordable housing close to employment and public transport.
The progress on Pretorius Park Extension 40 township establishment is reported as follows:
– Pre-feasibility report – completed
– Contour survey – completed
– Geotechnical report – completed
– Flood Line Investigation – completed
– Bulk Services Investigation – completed
– Draft Site Development Plan – completed
– Vegetation diversity Study – completed
– Wetland de-lineation – completed
– Social Impact Assessment – completed
– Public Hearing Meeting – completed
– Draft Basic Assessment Report (BAR) – Approved by GDARD and ROD
– Environmental Management Programme (EMP) – completed
– Review of Township Layout – completed
– Traffic Impact Assessment – completed
– Township establishment application – Approved on August 31, 2022 and will yield 864 units (low cost and rental)
ALSO READ: Residents of Plastic View receive lifesaving gadgets to fight fires
Mashigo said the city is working hard to prevent further illegal land grabs.
“The metro is preventing illegal occupation of land through the community safety department.
“This department appoints the security company to prevent the invasion of land including the demolition of illegal structures.”
Mashigo said an interdepartmental team was established to attend to and control waste collection and removal, responding to noise pollution and smoke pollution, combatting expansion, as well as preventing distribution of drugs.
He said the city deploys water tankers in settlements daily and has built eight 5 000-litre water tanks in Plastic View.
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