Tshwane flood victim relocations have started — department calls for calm

The Gauteng department of human settlements and the City of Tshwane say the relocation of the Mamelodi flood victims has started after community consultations.  

The department said it has been working with the city by initially helping to fast-track the process through the acquiring of land, and will also help the process with additional funding.  

“All seven regions of the city were affected by the floods with three regions, 2, 4 and 6, being severely affected. We call upon the community to be patient as the city tries to help as many people as possible who were affected by the floods,” said the department's Tahir Sema.

In February 2022, more than 800 families were affected in the Tshwane suburbs of Eersterust, Mamelodi [informal settlements], Gomora in Pretoria west, Soshanguve Block KK, Onverwacht in Cullinan, Hammanskraal and Marikana in Centurion.

Sema said some of the factors causing delays in relocation included non-availability of suitable land, financial constraints, rapid urbanisation, continued land invasions along flood-lines and difficult community consultations.  

The province and the city said they were finalising the gazetting of additional funds for the city to do further site clearances, relocations and procurement of water, sanitation and waste management services.

Sema said the process will be concluded as soon as the department’s business plan for an informal settlements upgrading partnership grant has been approved by the national department of human settlements.  

TimesLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.