Approximately R315 000 required for Wolwespruit dwellers relocation

Tshwane metro is adamant that only 70 South Africans living at the wetland squatter camp on the corner of Solomon Mahlangu and Delmas Road in Wolwespruit will be relocated and provided with materials to build their shacks in Pienaarspoort.

Approximately R315 000 is needed to acquire building material to relocate these 70 South Africans in March. It is estimated that the building material for one shack would cost about R4 500, according to Tshwane.

The metro made it clear that no policy in the municipality mandates the city to acquire material for the people from informal/illegal settlements, but this is done due to the agreement between the dwellers and the city.

However residents in vicinity of the wetland squatter camp in the east of Pretoria feel blindsided by the metro relocation.

The residents demanded the truth about when the dwellers of Wolwespruit informal settlement will be relocated as it was promised to unfold from November last year.

The metro told Rekord last November it had commenced the relocation of informal settlement dwellers from November 25 and would continue relocating inhabitants of the area until June 31, 2025.

However up to now reportedly not even one dweller has been moved and the camp continues to grow by day. There are currently close to 200 households in the area.

The land where the camp is situated is within a flood line and not habitable for human settlement as there is a stream of water that runs through the area.

The land is illegally occupied by South African residents and foreign nationals from Lesotho and Zimbabwe who have indicated that the area is convenient for waste sorting and close to their workplace.

According to the metro, Wolwespruit is not a typical informal settlement and was never declared an informal settlement in line with the Upgrading of Informal Settlement Strategy Programme.

For years the removal of the land invaders had involved a drawn-out legal process, with human rights lawyers blocking every attempt of the city to evict the squatters.

The metro was instructed that if it removed the dwellers, it must provide them with suitable accommodation for all people, not only South Africans.

Residents of neighbouring suburbs Moreleta Park, Mooikloof and Erasmuskloof have been calling for the informal settlement’s removal for several years.

Noise pollution, alleged staged dog fighting, ecological damage, crime and prostitution were among the issues raised.

Residents said they demand the truth about the actual relocation.

“We want the truth – no more trying to appease the community,” said resident and community activist Elain Battle.

Battle said as community members living in the vicinity of Wolwespruit, “we are very angry and upset as to the way the task team from Tshwane is handling these supposed relocations.

“We have patiently waited and been promised time and time again that the South African illegal informal settlement dwellers would be moved.”

“We were told, not forgetting all the past promises made over the years, that the dwellers we’re moving in October 2024, then again November 2024 and then again December 13/15 2024.

“This was confirmed by the Humans Settlement manager from Tshwane at a site during a meeting recently to not only us – but the dwellers as well. They were just as excited as us to finally be told they were to be moved to a better place with amenities.”

Battle said then this never became reality.

“In fact they came with excuse about finances and no money to provide the shacks, but yet the metro has not bothered to discuss the situation, which should have been done months ago with PIC (Public Investment Corporation) who were consulted and in negotiations.”

Battle said in November 106 South African dwellers were promised relocation. “This year we have conflicting figures between 72 or 74 – we question the exact numbers.

“We watch as weekly more shacks are built – yet we are told this is not the case that it’s because their shacks get wet and they move them around. When this statement was made by Tshwane we were all desperately waiting for rain and we’re in fact on water restrictions.”

She said the sentiments that even illegal immigrants would be moved to the same area as the South African citizens makes absolutely no sense.

“There is still no confirmation of how many illegal foreigners are actually living there, which far outnumber the South Africans. The illegals we were originally told were going to be moved to another area and then deported.”

She said quotes were received last year on the pricing of the shacks which varies from just the framework and no roofing, which was in the vicinity of R180 000 for 106 to the now-received quotes of R320 000 for 72 dwellers.

“We demand transparency on what these shacks consist of and the actual costs and from whom,” she said.

She added that residents are actually not entitled to lies but to the truth.

“Tshwane should stop trying to appease us – irrespective of whether they feel that it is to our best interest or theirs – to hear half the truth or to play party politics that affects us all regardless of what party, colour, race or creed we belong to, we want an explanation. After all they are illegally on a protected (or supposed to be) wetland.

“I am also sure the South African dwellers at the camp want to be told what the situation as well since they have been promised over and over again, like ourselves.

“We request the truth on this matter on what is going on. We are law-abiding, taxpaying citizens, and have invested in our properties, we just want to live a peaceful life without the noise, smoke, disgusting smells, litter strewn all over the area and living in fear,” she said.

Ward 83 councillor Andrew Lesch said: “I am aware of the growing numbers. I have warned the city officials several times about this.”

Lesch said during their meeting in the past week, it was confirmed that the move will start mid-February and finish in April.

“We have been promised the move several times in the past, but there is always the excuse of money and the amount keeps growing,” Lesch said.

He added that both South African and illegal immigrants must be moved, but to separate locations.

Lesch asked Rekord to speak to the city to confirm the numbers of people and money involved.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said Wolwespruit dwellers would be relocated around March 2025. Only South Africans will be relocated.

“The process commenced on November 2024 and is expected to be completed on or before the end of June 2025.”

Mashigo said approximately R315 000 is needed for acquisition of building material to relocate 70 South Africans from Wolwespruit.

“The 70 beneficiaries are without building material and no policy in the municipality that mandates the city to acquire material for the people from informal/illegal settlements.”

He said in terms of the current relocation policy and tender contract, the city will be responsible for the demolition of the shack, onloading of material and all belongings of the beneficiaries, transporting, offloading, and rebuilding of at least 30m2 of the shack in the new allocated permanent stand.

“The relocation will only cover the South African citizens; no decision has been made regarding non-South African citizens,” Mashigo told Rekord.

The illegal occupants have built their shacks with plastic and cardboard materials.

Initially, among the occupants were 192 households, with 110 South Africans, 67 from Lesotho and 15 from Zimbabwe.

Mashigo said previously Home Affairs conducted a screening and verification of all except for 55 names that were not verified. The recent assessment confirmed that only 70 South Africans are on site.

He said on October 25, 2021 the metro launched an urgent eviction application in the High Court.

“The city requested the court to grant an urgent eviction order to evict/relocate the occupiers after the South African residents refused to be relocated to [the] proposed Orchards Ext 110.”

He said the urgent eviction application was dismissed with costs due to lack of urgency.

“It must be noted that the intention was to relocate the South African citizens, as they are the only ones who can be provided with the stands and the city at that time requested to National Department of Home Affairs to handle the foreign nationals.”

He said due to rejection of the relocation by the occupants and unsuccessful urgent eviction the court order application, the metro proceeded placing the eviction application on an normal court roll and the matter is still pending before the court.

“Parallel to this, the metro decided to engage with the residents, and it was found that the new representatives of the illegal occupants (South Africans) are amenable to be relocated on condition that the building materials are provided to erect their shacks as they are presently using plastic and cardboard material.”

He said it is through this consultation process that during January 2023 the city requested the occupants willing to be relocated to Proposed Orchards Ext 110 to complete the voluntary relocation forms of which it was found that there are now 120 South Africans who are willing to be relocated.

“Unfortunately, the relocation to Orchards Ext 110 was never concluded, as the stands were allocated to people from other informal settlements.”

He said currently Tshwane is exploring ways of providing material to South Africans to be relocated to Pienaarspoort.

The relocation is currently underway and informal settlements in Regions 5 and 6 are to benefit from this development.

Mashigo said in terms of the nuisance caused by the dwellers, the city through metro police monitors the informal settlement 24/7 to prevent any expansion and to deal with issues.

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