Cape Town - The Housing Development Agency (HDA) has blamed the City for delays in relocating frustrated families living in informal settlements along the Central Line railway tracks.
According to the HDA, it requested that the City consider a temporary emergency relocation site under Section 68 of the Municipal Planning By-law (MPBL) for approval by council in June.
Section 68 of the MPBL makes provision for the City to declare the land to be an emergency housing site and suspend the applicable zoning for a period of up to a maximum of 180 days to allow land to be used for emergency housing.
The City sought a legal opinion on the matter but came back claiming the proposed development did not qualify for consideration for a declaration under Section 68.
“The proposal that has been put to the City provides no indication that the relocation is of a temporary nature; and that the unlawful occupants of the Central Line cannot be reinstated back onto it at any stage in the future.
“There is no indication of how the provision of ongoing basic services will be financed on the proposed relocation site.
“For at least these reasons the City is of the view that the current proposal does not meet the requirements for consideration thereof by the City under Section 68 of the MPBL,” the City had said.
On Thursday a group from Siyahlala and Philippi informal settlements marched to the Civic Centre and handed over a memorandum of grievances calling for unity with the Inter-governmental Committee which includes City, HDA, transport department and Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) to expedite the relocation project.
“These departments must stop the blame game with our lives and work together as required by the Intergovernmental act,” the residents said.
They gave the authorities 28 days to announce progress on their relocation.
“The City confirms receipt of a memorandum December 8, 2022, and is studying its contents,” the City said.
HDA spokesperson Katlego Moselakgomo said the relocation of occupants of the Prasa central line was a project which the City committed to cooperate with and provide resources to enable the timeous implementation thereof.
“Due to, amongst others, the economic and social significance of the recommissioning of the Langa Rail Central line for the City communities. This matter has now been escalated to the Mayor to request him to urgently intervene and resolve the impasse on the processing and subsequent approval of the declaration of the identified sites as emergency relocation areas as well as providing the required budgets to implement the project,” said Moselakgomo.
Cape Times