CoE gives updates to the halting Glen Marikana move

In response to questions from Ward 16 Clr Jaco Terblanche, the City of Ekurhuleni recently updated residents on the finalisation of the Glen Marikana relocation.

Terblanche previously stated that enough time was available to finalise the process before the implementation of the national lockdown.

Ekurhuleni spokesperson Themba Gadebe said the city agreed that sufficient time was available prior to lockdown.

“The city communicated the relocation plan that took four weeks and the remaining households did not show interest nor presented themselves. Only 50 odd presented themselves to our office requesting assistance, the rest had refused.

“The Human Settlement Department indicated that the people who still occupied the land did not want to move to Putfontein. The eviction order did not provide a choice if residents want to move to Putfontein or not,” Terblanche previously said.

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To this, Gadebe said that only those households that voluntarily accepted relocation could be relocated and that no one can be forced by the city to relocate.

“So far, only fifty approached our offices requesting help to relocate. The court order directs that should illegal occupiers fail to honour the relocation offer the evictions will be effected,” Gadebe said.

He said there are still available stands in Putfontein available for relocation.

“The city has prevented illegal shacks to mushroom in Putfontein in order to honour its obligation to provide alternative accommodation for the residents of Glen Marikana.

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“The meeting of all stakeholders is being facilitated to present the relocation report. In terms of the relocation report, all residents that presented themselves from relocation have been assisted and only those that resisted are remaining.”

He said residents of Glen Marikana who didn’t resist relocation to Putfontein were relocated between February 24 and March 26.

“The CoE is prepared to assist with non-financial support to move them, including to allocate them stands in Putfontein in order to control the numbers,” Gadebe said.

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