Metro urges patience as Jwagga relocation project moves closer to completion
Construction of 500 serviced stands is underway at Andeon Ext 37, where qualifying Jwagga residents and others from informal settlements will be relocated.
The MMC for Housing and Human Settlement, Alderman Aaron Maluleka, confirmed that 150 households from Jwagga Informal Settlement in Klerksoord are expected to be relocated to Andeon Ext 37 once construction of the development is completed.
He said the relocation of residents from Jwagga and other informal settlements remains part of the metro’s plan.
“Yes, they will be allocated, with residents from other informal settlements,” said Maluleka.
He added that the construction of 500 stands in Andeon Ext 37 is underway. The stands will also be tested for water and sewerage connections.
According to Maluleka, relocation will begin once the construction project has been completed. He said residents who will qualify for relocation must come from identified informal settlements that have been shack-marked and registered by the metro.
The latest update follows concerns previously raised by residents of Jwagga Informal Settlement over uncertainty surrounding their relocation, which they said had been promised for several years.
Residents also called for clearer communication from the metro while they continue to wait for permanent housing.
“They must come to talk to the community and update us on where we are going to be relocated and when. If we are still waiting for more years, at least they must help us with the issues that we are facing,” said resident Thabo Aphane.
Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo had earlier confirmed that residents of Jwagga Informal Settlement are expected to benefit from serviced stands being developed as part of the Andeon Ext 37 project.
He further stated that a contractor was appointed on August 15, 2024, on a three-year contract to undertake the construction of water and sewer infrastructure.
Mashigo also explained that though funding had previously been approved for the township establishment process at Klerksoord Ext 32, that project had not been specifically allocated for the relocation of the Jwagga community.
Construction was not completed because of the technical challenges and budgetary constraints.
Ward 98 councillor Mickey Van der Westhuizen previously told Rekord that he had requested the Department of Housing to engage directly with affected residents regarding the relocation project.
“I have requested that the Department of Housing engage directly with affected residents so that they receive clear and accurate information,” said Van der Westhuizen.
Addressing residents who have been waiting for permanent housing, Maluleka encouraged the community to remain patient while the project progresses and “afford the city time to attend to their relocation”.
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