ONE of the dominant topics at the recent Glenhills Ratepayers Association’s meeting was the ‘alarming expansion’ of the Malacca Road Informal Settlement. The meeting was convened by chairperson of the ratepayers association, Robin Candy and ward councillor, Pete Graham with around 30 residents in attendance.

While Candy bemoaned the low turnout, he added residents were at their collective wit’s end in trying to get the City to act over illegal shack dwellings being erected at the settlement.

Candy gave a brief history of how the settlement started with less than 50 shacks saying there are now between 250 and 300 shacks.

Related story: Residents confused over Malacca settlement upgrade

“In the last six months the settlement has doubled in size and is continuing to grow at an alarming rate. This is in turn having a knock on effect on residents in the area. We’ve seen more illegal electricity connections which in the past has affected the dump and street lights in the area. The ablution blocks at the settlement have also struggled to keep up with the influx of people and there is a constant flow of sewage within the settlement making it an unhealthy living space.

“We struggled to get the Land Invasion Unit to enact a court order issued by the City that no more than 75 shacks be built on the land. The land is also subject to several land claims further exacerbating the problem. There are people illegally selling land to people for as little as R600. If this activity is allowed to continue it will affect residents property values. What’s worse is that when the land invasion unit did act, it destroyed 16 shacks but left the building material behind leading to those dwellings being rebuilt within days,” Candy said.

Also present at the meeting was a lone City official from the Human Settlements and Planning Department who said the City were aware of shack lords selling land to people.

Related story: Sewage overflow worsens at Malacca Road settlement

She explained the City had marked the settlement for an upgrade. She added pre-feasibility and feasibility studies would need to be completed to ascertain whether the land could be developed (even partially).

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