Government plans to move residents from vulnerable informal settlements to permanent residences

Government is not just planning to move people out of overcrowded informal settlements temporarily, the idea is to establish permanent residential areas, said McIntosh Polela, spokesperson of the department of human settlements, water and sanitation.

“The idea being explored is that these [new settlements] will eventually be permanent communities.

“It would not be wise to make this a temporary arrangement, only to start all over again should there be another pandemic.”

Because the department fears land invasion, it does not yet want to say where the 27 sites are where people will be moved to.

It has, however, been made known that people will be relocated from Kennedy Road in Durban; Stjwetla in Alexandra, Johannesburg; Mooiplaats in Tshwane; Duncan Village in East London; and Dunoon, outside Milnerton in Cape Town.

Residents from these areas will be moved to temporary structures.

“We are also exploring shipping containers as well as other structures that can be put up and be ready to accommodate people in the shortest time.”

Authorities fear that the Covid-19 coronavirus could spread rapidly in overpopulated informal settlements.

Polela said the relocations were an attempt to offer solutions to people for whom measures to combat Covid-19 otherwise would not work in their current residences.

“For example, we can’t ask people to wash their hands regularly if they don’t have water. That’s why we’re trying to acquire water tanks.

“We realise that it’s impossible to observe the prescribed physical distancing measures in densely populated areas.”

Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu previously said that nobody would be forced to move. She has already convened meetings with non-governmental organisations on two occasions because “they are closest to the people”.

“We realised that there were areas where water tanks couldn’t get to, nor could vehicles such as fire engines. We then realised that we had to do something about it.”

Sisulu said she would listen to suggestions from representatives of the informal settlements.

The plan for the relocation still has to be approved by Cabinet.

On Thursday, Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato said they had not yet began planning for the relocation of people from Dunoon.

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