DA councillor Dave Dewes is up in arms over what he says is the illegal moving of the squatters at numbers one, three and five Rail Street to the Roodepoort Rugby Club informal settlement by the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Housing Dan Bovu.
This informal settlement has long been formalised and every resident is on a list to receive housing as it becomes available. Bovu though has moved about 23 families into the settlement and had materials delivered for the shacks.
An infuriated Dewes said “I requested an urgent meeting with Bovu two weeks ago after I got wind of his clandestine planned move of privately evicted squatters. In the meeting I highlighted a number of extremely serious issues, with far reaching implications, if he were to go ahead with the move.
“Firstly, I brought to the MMC’s attention that the council owned property is currently zoned as industrial so technically the move is unlawful because the correct residential zoning has not even been applied for.
“Secondly, no consultation whatsoever has taken place between the surrounding residents or myself, as the democratically elected representative. Bovu’s actions in this regard, not only breach accepted local government protocol but more seriously, it is in contravention of section seven sub clause 152, one A to E, of the Constitution of South Africa,” said Dewes.
“Thirdly, Bovu’s actions fly directly in the face of Joburg’s very own housing policy, which states all current informal settlements need to be formalised and no further squatting will be tolerated with in the city. If Bovu moved these squatters, he would be creating an extremely dangerous precedent for the city.
“The fourth issue I raised, was even if the ANC run Johannesburg complied with all zoning requirements, the current three water points and seven toilets, are way below acceptable health standards for the approximate 200 informal shacks. This most definitely needed to be upgraded before any further residents could be accommodated,” explained Dewes.
“The last issue I raised with Bovu, was the fact that the MMC is very aware that I am completely opposed to the city’s short term crisis management, of rezoning the property from industrial to residential, in order to legalise their own illegal informal settlement. The sizable property has more than three times the value zoned industrial than residential because there is no other already zoned industrial land in the area and on top of that, it is extremely well situated and therefor in high demand. It is actually a no-brainer. The property is worth in excess of R30 million if zoned industrial. If the property was sold or leased, the city would not only collect considerably more rates than if it was residential but also facilitate the creation of hundreds of desperately needed jobs, all within walking distance of surrounding unemployed communities. Plus, the city would also be able to accommodate all the informal dwellers in formal accommodation from the funds generated. This win/win solution could be implemented within six months, where Bovu’s housing strategy would take years because of the current economic conditions, budget restraints and the pathetically slow pace of the city to implement this size of a residential development,” said Dewes.
Dewes said that in light of bringing his concerns under the attention of Bovu prior to the squatters being moved, he believes Bovu needs to be disciplined and lose his job for his “reckless, inconsiderate and illegal behaviour.”
Dewes and the DA say they have already proceeded through formal channels available to councillors, to have the grievances with Bovu addressed.
Councillor Sipho Ndlela, Spokesperson on Housing in the City of Johannesburg told the Record “what the MMC is doing goes against the rules of the City. He has sat in on the committee for housing where the Executive Director (ED) Patrick Phope, who is tasked with dealing with informal settlements, explicitly said that no more squatters will be allowed to be added to existing settlements.
“The ED said he must be immediately contacted if this takes place. I will engage with both Phohe and Bovu on this matter. I am very dissapointed to hear the MMC is doing this,” said Ndlele.
Ndlele has indicated that he will keep the Record informed on the matter as it unfolds.
