Actonville residents argue Harry Gwala temporary move
Affected Actonville residents have requested that the Urban Renewal Division in the Human Settlements Department stop developments beyond the Emandleni informal settlement until a brick wall is placed.
The request followed a meeting which was held on November 23 at the Actonville Council Chambers.
Ward 29 Clr Haseena Ismail chaired the meeting where head of the project, Fikile Ndlovu responded to the residents’ concerns about temporarily moving about 400 shacks from Harry Gwala to the vacant piece of land which is near a bridge between Actonville and Wattville.
“The project is a three-year plan to temporarily move residents from Harry Gwala to the vacant piece of land,” said Ndlovu.
The land is part owned by the metro and part owned by Transnet which has leased the property to the project for three years.
“During these three years, we will build on the land where residents were moved from in order to have a formal settlement at Harry Gwala,” Ndlovu explained.
“There is a R300-million budget for this project so there should be no delays.”
The project has two phases, each divided into 18 months.
But residents fear that this temporary agreement will become a permanent one.
The residents wrote a letter to the department stating their concerns which included traffic, safety, noise, pollution, theft of services and more shacks erected.
The residents were also upset over the public participation which they were excluded from during the decision-making process of the temporary relocation.
According to Ndlovu, the land was thought to belong fully in Ward 30, but after decisions were discussed, it was understood that a part of the leased property belongs to Ward 29 (Actonville) and this is why residents were not involved in the initial decision-making.
Ndlovu said a fence would be placed to separate the shacks from the formal settlements, but Ismail said residents were unhappy with this decision.
“Residents insisted on solid walling on both sides to avoid traffic and health, environmental issues and flourishing of shacks as is happening in Pursad Street,” Ismail said.
“The challenge from the department was that an application via town planning was necessary for a brick walling.”
According to Ismail, the department stated the processes would possibly a year.
“Residents put on the table a suggestion the department should start proceedings with town planning for the walling,” Ismail said.
“While this process continues, the development can only continue if precast walling is put up prior to shack erection until the boundary area is agreed upon.
“By the time the 18-month project ends, the solid brick walling must be put up as agreed by the department.”
Ismail said until the agreement from the department has been given to residents in writing, development should continue from the bridge until the Emandleni informal settlement.
Ismail said they were still awaiting the agreement from the department on Monday morning at the time of publication.
Also read: One person dies, four others injured in wall collapse
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