Disteneng relocation derailed

DESPITE the Concern Group’s appeal for the relocation and resettling of the Disteneng residents to be halted, the Polokwane Municipality is continuing with its controversial plan. The residents will be relocated to Extension 78.

Residents agreed to the process and allowed the process of relocation to continue on Saturday, but the mood changed by Sunday, with members of the Concern Group barricading the road to Disteneng.

The police had to use rubber bullets to disperse the crowd and at least four people were arrested. One person was shot in the neck with a rubber bullet.

The secretary of the Sterling Committee in Disteneng, Johannes Kobola, said they were excited that residents were being relocated to a decent area. “We believe people will now live a better life in a decent area.”

He admitted there were those who opposed the process, saying they did not understand the process. “We are aware and understand that there are those who are not happy with the process, but it is happening. The Concern Group was addressed and we all agreed with the municipality. A memorandum of understanding was signed,” he said.

Modjadji Baloyi, a resident who was relocated, said she was nervous but happy that the process went well. “We were expecting to be relocated to RDP houses, but we still found the situation better compared to Disteneng. We do not want to hear what the Concern Group is saying because they are only protecting their businesses,” said Baloyi.

She appealed to the municipality to speed up the process of building the promised houses at Extension 78.

Sabetha Rasesemola, of the Concern Group, said they wanted the relocation to proceed, but only if proper procedures were followed.She said they received stickers from the municipality in 2009, stating that they qualified to be on the list for relocation, but some of those who had stickers were not on the list.

Municipal spokesperson, Matshidiso Mothapo, said the municipality compiled a database of around 5 700 households to benefit from the relocation with the community. About 1 700 households will be resettled for free into a formalised low cost site at Disteneng.