Question NW1356 to the Minister of Human Settlements
25 May 2022 - NW1356
Madokwe, Ms P to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
With regard to the Vrede area and the eMawageni informal settlement in the Phumelela Local Municipality which are prone to flooding, lacks basic utilities and have been disregarded by the authorities for decades, what steps has her department taken to ensure that the families are placed in well-equipped human settlements with schools, clinics and reliable transportation?
Reply:
A feasibility study completed by Phumelela Local Municipality in Mavageng informal settlement in Vrede indicated that the area is prone to a hundred year flood-line and therefore inhabitable. The municipality advised the residents of Mavageng informal settlement that they would be relocated to Thembalihle Ext 14. There was resistance from the residents and therefore could not be relocated. Thembalihle Ext 14 has since been fully allocated to other beneficiaries.
The municipality has since resolved to make provision for these residents to be allocated sites in an approved township named Thembalihle Ext 8 which consists of 1400 erven allocated as follows:
|
Zoning |
Number of Erven |
|
Residential |
1310 |
|
Business |
5 |
|
Church |
7 |
|
Light Industrial |
14 |
|
Crèche |
5 |
|
School |
3 |
|
Public Open Space |
18 |
|
Street |
13 |
|
Total |
1400 |
The municipality is yet to consult the occupants with this alternative relocation site. It is important to also note that the alternative Ext. 8 currently does not have municipal engineering services however, in this financial year (i.e., 2022/23) the Free State Department of Human Settlements has been made provision for the reticulation of this area. A project has been registered in this regard with the registration number F21080058/1 and is included in the 2022/23 FS Informal Settlements Upgrading Partnership Grant’s Business Plan.