Property owners disgruntled by Plot 323 crimes
A resident also went as far warning the City to speed up the relocation programme before the dawn of a new Zandspruit informal settlement.
It became evident on Saturday, 12 October, at a public engagement meeting, that a large majority of the residents in Ward 97 are bothered by the tented dwellers on Plot 323 in Wilgespruit.
The residents surrounding the plot could not hide their feelings about it due to some of the alleged criminal and by-law infringing activities taking place on the property.
The lengthy process of moving the dwellers to the low-cost housing development that has been promised by the City is not pleasing enough to the residents as they alleged that the plot is harbouring criminals.
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https://roodepoortnorthsider.co.za/302406/proper-housing-for-plot-323-dwellers-in-the-pipeline/
The main concerns were the increasing number of dwellers on the plot, the illegal sheebeens, the crime levels, and the recovery of suspected stolen goods on the property during raids.
A resident also went as far warning the City to speed up the relocation programme before the dawn of a new Zandspruit informal settlement. “Plot 323 will be another Zandspruit. Zandspruit started with 100 shacks. Plot 323 has 60, and compare it with what Zandspruit is today,” he cautioned.
The MMC for Economic Development and Ward 97 councillor, Leah Knott, who was at the meeting, provided some clarity on developments regarding Plot 323.
“There is a lot of miscommunication which is unfortunate. Essentially where we are is that the environmental consultant was appointed just after the end of May. That’s when the tender was closed through the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC). They are busy with an investigation into the property. There are two adjacent stands in Haylon Hills; one is zoned for agricultural use, while the other is a public open space. They need to do the environmental investigation and get the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), then the township proclamation has to take place and then they can start to building residential housing in it,” she explained.
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She added that the township proclamation was submitted in November 2018 and is in progress. But she hoped Development Planning would prioritise the project as the township proclamation process can take up to 18 months. From this point, Leah indicated that Gauteng Provincial Government has to step in and provide funding. “So far we haven’t heard whether or not they have approved the funding,” she said.
When the move eventually takes place, the residents expressed their concern about what would happen to those who aren’t beneficiaries of the housing scheme, specifically the foreign nationals on the plot. Leah responded: “When the people are moved from Plot 323 it will be a joint operation between the Departments of Housing, Social Development, and Home Affairs as well as the JMPD in order to deal with those left behind because they won’t be allowed to stay there anymore. Province has the land earmarked for the PWV5 road system and it’s surrounded by privately owned properties”.
She went on to explain that Plot 323 as well as surrounding private properties have court orders preventing land invasion or building of structures.
She also added that the joint operation will assist with immigration for foreign nationals on the plot. “Unfortunately, the large majority that do not qualify to be moved are undocumented foreign nationals and they are well aware of it. The South Africans and documented foreign nationals will be catered for,” Leah concluded.
