“As these people are
scattered or congested, we are realigning them in such á way that they settle nicely
so that they can get basic services,” said Ivory Park Councilor, Big-Joe
Mahlanga.
Mahlanga pointed out
some challenges encountered during this process ranging from illegal immigrants
without renewed passport, there are those who arrived here without á shred of á
paper and coupled with that, some South African citizens came here lately and
assumed á peace of land, as á result these are people are cannot be recognized.
Red Ants doing it
again…but this time, assisting with realigning and rebuilding shacks.
One red ant worker,
Bongani Nhlapho (28), said: “Our role here is to realign crammed shacks and
remove those who are not settled legally.”
However, some dwellers
are dissatisfied with this process saying their shacks are being
demolished without
proper verification of documents of the owner. In some instance, if found that
there is nobody inside the shack they resort to smashing it.
Philadi Masha (26) is
fuming after her shack was demolished when she was at work.
“When I asked the
officials from the Department of Housing that my house was shattered down while
I was at work, they just told me that they are still busy. I don’t understand
why they did this and I don’t know where I am going to sleep because I do have
documents stipulating that I am residing legally here.”
Police were beefed up
to monitor the process.
This follows an
outrage by the residents over the realignment process. The community member did
not understand what realignment entailed and aimed at.
“On the 7th
of July when our officials came to start with the realignment process, they
were turned away by á group of people who were violent, blocking the roads, threatening
that someone will die,” said Mahlanga.
“We should have been
through with this process months ago. So, what we had has been that resistance
whereby each and every meeting especially with our public meetings, I’ll have
to constantly explain. People will engage me even privately to say: No! we
don’t want this realignment of yours. We are told that you going to group us
one by one. So I kept saying its not going to be like that.”
The realignment process continues and is set to expand
to other neighboring informal settlements around Ivory Park
Almost 23 years living
in an informal settlement, shack dwellers in Moses Kotana section, Ivory Park,
outskirt of Midrand embarked on a realignment process yesterday.
“As these people are
scattered or congested, we are realigning them in such á way that they settle nicely
so that they can get basic services,” said Ivory Park Councilor, Big-Joe
Mahlanga.
Mahlanga pointed out
some challenges encountered during this process ranging from illegal immigrants
without renewed passport, there are those who arrived here without á shred of á
paper and coupled with that, some South African citizens came here lately and
assumed á peace of land, as á result these are people are cannot be recognized.
Red Ants doing it
again…but this time, assisting with realigning and rebuilding shacks.
One red ant worker,
Bongani Nhlapho (28), said: “Our role here is to realign crammed shacks and
remove those who are not settled legally.”
However, some dwellers
are dissatisfied with this process saying their shacks are being
demolished without
proper verification of documents of the owner. In some instance, if found that
there is nobody inside the shack they resort to smashing it.
Philadi Masha (26) is
fuming after her shack was demolished when she was at work.
“When I asked the
officials from the Department of Housing that my house was shattered down while
I was at work, they just told me that they are still busy. I don’t understand
why they did this and I don’t know where I am going to sleep because I do have
documents stipulating that I am residing legally here.”
Police were beefed up
to monitor the process.
This follows an
outrage by the residents over the realignment process. The community member did
not understand what realignment entailed and aimed at.
“On the 7th
of July when our officials came to start with the realignment process, they
were turned away by á group of people who were violent, blocking the roads, threatening
that someone will die,” said Mahlanga.
“We should have been
through with this process months ago. So, what we had has been that resistance
whereby each and every meeting especially with our public meetings, I’ll have
to constantly explain. People will engage me even privately to say: No! we
don’t want this realignment of yours. We are told that you going to group us
one by one. So I kept saying its not going to be like that.”
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