Rabie Ridge to receive 1 200 temporary houses
RABIE RIDGE – The City of Johannesburg announced a project to construct temporary relocation areas in Rabie Ridge on 14 July.
The Mayor of Johannesburg Geoff Makhubo along with the MMC for Housing Mlungisi Mabaso hosted a special soil-turning on 14 July to mark the start of a new development to build temporary relocation areas in Rabie Ridge.
Makhubo and Mabaso were joined by local councillors and the Rabie Ridge community at the large plot of land on the corner of Modderfontein Road and Freedom Drive.
Makhubo said that the purpose of the new temporary relocation areas (TRA) for the local community would be to promote social distancing.A number of informal settlements around the city have been identified as overcrowded. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the dramatic increase in infections, temporary residential units are required to help ease congestion and curb the spread of the virus.
He added, “What we are trying to do is to de-densify these informal settlements so people can be able to social distance… as part of the response to Covid-19 because this is one of the non-pharmaceutical responses to the disease.”
The project expects approximately 1 200 residents to be moved out of the nearby informal settlements into the housing structures which will be made from prefabricated materials.
Head of land assembly at the Housing Development Agency Lucien Rakgoale said, “The first step would be to clear this area. Then we are going to start a labour desk in the area, which will assist in appointing a community liaison officer and also source the relevant services for the development from the the local area including workers.”
He added that nine contractors have been appointed to the project and that the City of Johannesburg and Gauteng Department of Human Settlements will allocate space to local residents on their database. The estimated date of completion is expected to be in October.
Ward 80 councillor Makgoba Pagadi said that he was very happy with the announcement of the development which has been earmarked since before 2016 as an area for housing for the local community and will definitely benefit them during Covid-19 pandemic.
