The community of Wright Park raised their grievances about the new RDP development in Reedville, during a community meeting held in Indaba Park on Sunday.
The development of land along Springs West Road near Wright Park has raised the ire of Wright Park residents.
The meeting was organised by Wright Park Community Police Forum (CPF), to discuss the status of the new planned development at Portion 106 of the farm Rietfontein near Wright Park.
Portion 106 has fuelled speculation that a low-cost RDP housing development could be on the metro’s housing agenda.
Arles Baloyi, chairman of the CPF, says their concerns are quite clear and the area cannot cope with any additional infrastructural demands.
He says the infrastructure, as well as the demarcation of their properties, is a major concern.
Portion 106 is planned to be sub-divided into four portions, namely Portion B, C, D and E.
“The residents were never consulted or informed about the new development and we don’t understand why the metro has kept this secret from us since 2002,” he says.
According to Baloyi, the metro’s planning department had already approved the zoning certificate on November 14, 2013.
Residents believe criminal activities will be on the increase once construction starts.
They signed a petition to prove their objection, which Baloyi handed in at the metro on October 5.
Ward ClrThulani Simelane, who attended the meeting, says the metro acknowledged receipt of the petition which is currently at the Speaker’s office.
With each and every new development that is going to affect residents, a document is sent to the ward councillor to inform him or her of what has been planned in the ward.
He received the document in July, and immediately called a public meeting at which he handed over the document to Baloyi.
“I was under the impression the community had been informed of the planned development and was surprised to hear they were uninformed.
“We have to discuss the issue and wait for a response from the metro in this regard,” says Simelane.
Now that the public participation has been done, he believes they can move forward.
Simelane says 227 houses have been planned for Phase One of the new development, but the starting date has not yet been established.
“The transfer process has not been completed yet, but I will inform residents of any new development with regards to the project,” he says.
Simelane says they don’t have all the information yet, but residents should “not be concerned yet.”
In light of the residents’ possible dissatisfaction with the new development, they have indicated they will wait for feedback from Simelane at the next public meeting.
The date of the next meeting will be announced soon.
