Organic Market remains problematic for Bramley View property owners
BRAMLEY – Even though the settlement was decongested, more illegal shacks are being built there.
The City of Johannesburg has made it clear that residents of the infamous Organic Market informal settlement in Bramley View will remain there until they can find a lasting solution to their problem.
Nearby property owners in Bramley View have complained about the settlement, citing crime and congestion as their major concerns and claimed that the settlement devalues their properties.
Due to a lack of available land to relocate the residents from the settlement, the City said they have no option but to continue to monitor and maintain the current situation.
The settlement was established in 2017 by the City after it was ordered by the high court to find space for displaced people who had been evicted from a nearby private building. Initially, there were no proper facilities on the land. The City has consequently decongested the informal settlement and installed adequate services such as water and prepaid electricity.
There were a series of meetings involving the City and Bramley View residents in which the City Council put their case for the settlement forward as reported in Informal settlement ‘is not wanted’, [Week ending 24 March, 2017] and Shack farmers attract crime, [Week Ending 1 September, 2017].
On 2 April, Ward 81 councillor, Irene Rugheimer, said decongestion had been done to create more space and access, however, they now have new illegal shacks being built on the access roads.
She said, “The settlement originally was not a legal settlement. However, due to a lack of housing space, it has been recognised as a transit camp by the [City’s] housing department. The surrounding residents and I have approached the mayor’s office requesting this [relocation], unfortunately, the City does not currently have land to relocate them to.”
Region E director, Liziwe Ntsinga-Mokoro, said they have engaged the City’s housing department to help fence off the settlement. “We are looking at long-term plans of relocating them elsewhere but unfortunately, we currently don’t have available land to do so.”
The City’s housing department spokesperson, Bubu Xuba, said it was not their priority to fence off the settlement as it would create an ‘us and them’ culture in the city.
“As a department, we will be intensifying our management of this informal settlement to ensure that there is no encroachment onto the roads as people enlarge their stands,” said Xuba.
Details: Ward 81 councillor Irene Rugheimer 072 409 6594.
Related article:
https://northeasterntribune.co.za/199744/residents-of-bramley-demand-organic-market-informal-settlement-is-removed/
https://northeasterntribune.co.za/212709/turmoil-at-organic-market/
