Phomolong relocation process going smoothly

Twenty years of struggling for better services is finally over for 300 Phomolong informal settlement families in Mamelodi.

This after Tshwane Human Settlements finally started their relocation from Phomolong to permanent stands in Pienaarspoort, provided with all the services.

Elizabeth Makalela (63) from Phomolong said the waiting took long, but was worth it.

She said she had actually left Phomolong informal settlement with her children for a rural village as she had lost hope that the City of Tshwane would ever relocate her and her fellow informal settlement dwellers.

Makalela was worried that she would one day die still waiting for the relocation process to start.

“I have been living at the Phomolong informal settlement for more than 10 years, and I even went into old age retirement while waiting for the relocation process to begin,” said Makalela.

However, she was happy now that finally “we are being relocated to a safer area where we will live on permanent stands and have services like water and electricity”.

Makalela said she moved to Limpopo with her children to avoid the inhospitable conditions in Phomolong.

The relocation process started last month and is scheduled for completion around December 15.

Another resident relocating to Pienaarspoort, Suzeka Mxakatho, said the relocation process has brought job opportunities for unemployed residents, especially the youth.

She said the process has given her the opportunity to work and put food on the table for her children.

Mxakatho said she has found employment as an assistant in the relocation process, and when she gets paid, she will buy Christmas clothes for her children and get something for her new permanent home.

She thanked the ward councillor for creating job opportunities for the youth of Phomolong.

Phomolong community leader Simon Motsa said he also landed himself employment with the help of his ward councillor during the relocation.

He said the wait was long, but many people were happy to finally move to a safer place after 20 years.

He said the only challenge they came across was of people who were not at home, “but we will come back for them at a later stage”.

Ward 40 Councillor Moloke Makola said he was also happy because it was tough addressing the issue of relocating to permanent stands because residents always shut him down, demanding an exact date for relocation and nothing else.

He said since he has taken over as a ward councillor, he has managed to relocate more than 400 families and rearrange the dwelling for 18 families in Phomolong.

Makola said: “The new City of Tshwane administration has worked hard to accelerate the relocation of our people.”

He revealed that he had a challenge as some residents were refusing to relocate as they had been unduly influenced to refuse to vacate their present shelter.

“But we managed to convince them to relocate because they will be getting a permanent stand and services from the municipality.”

He assured residents that by December 15, the relocation process should have been completed in Phomolong.

Makola pointed out that after the relocation process there will be empty spaces in Phomolong and a decision will then be taken at a later stage regarding what to do with these spaces.

He further advised residents of Phomolong to grab the opportunity of moving to a permanent stand with both hands and to stop listening to fake community leaders who told them not to relocate.

“We are moving residents to Pienaarspoort, where they will be able live in comfort and build the house of their choice.”

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