The infamous Organic Market, an informal settlement adjacent to Bramley View, is facing a new dilemma now – shack farming.
Ward 81 councillor, Irene Rugheimer told North Eastern Tribune that challenges continue at the settlement.
“Recently the area was mocked with a mass protest from the residents of Bramley View and Lombardy East who took to the streets demanding that the shacks be removed,” said Rugheimer.
Residents claim that the shacks are ‘devaluing’ their properties and even invite crime and create a hazardous environment.
The shacks were erected by the City of Joburg after the residents there were evicted from one of the private buildings in the area.
“The City had no place to relocate the displaced residents but the Organic Market.”
She said now the intentions are to try and ‘decongest’ the settlement to ensure reasonable living space.
Rugheimer, however, said a new challenge has emanated which is ‘shack farming’, adding that it hampers their ability to provide adequate basic services.
“We are trying to decongest it and put in electricity, clean running water, and proper sanitation, but now the problem is the shack farming.
“This is when someone has leased a shack from another person and pays rent to that person. Then when the City comes and wants to demolish the old shack and move you to the new one, the actual owner of the shack now claims the occupancy leaving the tenant desperate for a place to stay.
“It becomes a challenge because the one who is renting will be left displaced and as the City, we are faced with that problem again.”
The councillor said this is the problem the City has to deal with now at the Organic Market adding that they have no solution to it yet.
She said there are more than 6 000 displaced people in Ward 81 excluding vagrants, adding that this hampers the City’s efforts to provide housing and other proper services to the people.
Details: Irene Rugheimer 072 409 6594.
Edited by Stacey Woensdregt
Read: Don’t give vagrants money or food – ward councillor
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