Pretoria - The City of Tshwane is set to relocate people who were left homeless following the recent floods to land identified in the Orchards area.
This comes two weeks after the metro made an undertaking to the Gauteng portfolio committee on co-operative governance and human settlements that it would start the relocation process in March or April this year.
Previously, the City had said it was procuring land for resettlement of the flood victims.
On Monday, it was announced that land belonging to the municipality had been secured for relocating people.
The number of those to be moved at this stage is 300, according to mayoral committee member for Human Settlements Abel Tau.
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The areas affected during the recent flash floods were Soshanguve Block KK, Onverwacht in Cullinan, Mamelodi, Hammanskraal, Centurion and Pretoria West.
Temporary shelters for victims were set up at Nellmapius and Mamelodi West halls, Sebothoma Hall for Hammanskraal, and Transoranje.
Tau said the imminent relocation would be implemented following his engagement with the various affected communities over the past two weeks.
The meetings were held with community leaders in Gomora, Malusi Extension 1 and 2 and the newly-established Booysens Extension 4.
The victims were displaced by the heavy rainfall, which caused flash floods earlier this month across Tshwane.
A process was under way to verify the beneficiaries’ status before the relocation.
In the past, the City was criticised for excluding other shacks dwellers whose properties were said not to be on the map during a verification process, which included a shack-marking exercise.
Tau said: “We expect the relocations to start in two to three weeks’ time. I have also committed to engage with the community of Andeon regarding the development of Andeon Extension 37.
“We are fully committed to bring dignity to our people and ensure that all affected residents are relocated once more land has been acquired and properly prepared for allocation.”
It emerged during the committee’s interaction with officials recently that many places earmarked for the relocation would not have electricity and water.
The divisional head of the city’s human settlements division, Sello Chipu, said the water utility reported it no longer had the capacity, especially to provide water for new settlements in region 5, region 7 and part of region 6.
He said the city would use rudimentary services such as water tankers and portable toilets to take care of the communities’ needs.
Pretoria News