Schubert Park to be refurbished

The screening and vetting of families claiming to have been residents of Schubert Park is well on track. In compliance with the Constitutional Court judgement of 9 October 2012, Reverend Frank Chikane was appointed as facilitator between the Tshwane metro and residents of the derelict Schubert Park.

The parties held a series of intensive meetings and in June 2013, considered compressive packages to deal with the allocation of alternative accommodation, pending the resolution on the long-term plan for Schubert Park residents and future of the complex itself.

“The process of negotiations between the city and erstwhile residents has progressed to a point where 388 of the families have been provided with alternative accommodation. This was the result of negotiations a year ago after the Constitutional Court ruled that the residents had a right to return to their homes in the inner city housing scheme and that both parties should engage in meaningful negotiations,” Chikane said.

Both parties agreed, in a effort to resolve differences between the residents and city council, that Chikane should be appointed as post judgement moderator. They agreed on a three-pronged approach: identify all persons who were entitled to return; provide alternative accommodation over the short-term and seek agreement over the long-term accommodation of the residents.

Chikane said that the vetting process for residents was far more complex than had been anticipated. “So far, however, substantial progress has been made in that 69 families who have been verified await alternative accommodation and the process of vetting persons who claim to have lived in Schubert Park in September 2011 continues. As the vetting process continues, this number will increase and allocations will take place on a rolling basis,” he said.

He added that three open registration periods were held during December 2012, and January and March 2013 and 648 families were registered as former residents. Of these, 268 families were positively identified from records of both the city and residents. Another 375 families were required to undergo an additional vetting process. The vetting process is currently underway and 147 families have submitted their documentation thus far. Out of the 147 families, 86 families have so far been identified as possible former residents. This process should be finalised by December.

Meanwhile, city officials have also been in consultation with the residents regarding the range of viable options, which included the demolition or refurbishment of the Schubert Park buildings with a view to restoring them so as to make them sustainable accommodation.

Jason Ngobeni, the metro’s city manager, in addressing a press conference, said that the parties agreed that a long-term solution would be the refurbishment and administration of the buildings within the context of the social housing programme. The buildings will now be refurbished following designs that will adapt the buildings to be a modern-day, mixed development precinct.