Social media has been abuzz this past week following talks of the proposed relocation of land grabbers currently occupying the railway lines in Langa as well as residents in adjacent areas.
Since the initial proposal was made by the national government, misinformation pertaining to the suggested relocation site and the process to be followed has been rife.
Now, local ward councillors have come out to voice their disapproval of the proposed relocation.
In comments posted on Facebook over the past two weeks, residents of Mitchell’s Plain alleged that the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Human Settlements Department were behind the proposed relocation.
A second allegation was made that the land cleared near Westgate Mall in Westridge was the intended relocation site.
Ward 75 councillor Joan Woodman refuted this claim.
Instead, it seems that a portion of land in the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA) has been earmarked as a possible relocation site. Subcouncil 17 chair and Ward 43 councillor, Elton Jansen, was the first to voice his disapproval at this proposal.
“It is with great concern that I have learned about the planned relocation of the people, currently living on the Central Railway line, to the Philippi Horticultural Area in Ward 43. This relocation is planned by HDA (Housing Development Agency) and Prasa (Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa), announced by National Minister of Transport, Fikile Mbalula, without consultation with the ward councillor, Subcouncil 12 and 17 in Mitchell’s Plain or the host communities in the PHA, which includes the neighbouring farmers, residents of smallholdings and informal settlements,” Jansen said in a statement.
Since then, the Mitchell’s Plain community has mobilised, drawing up several petitions. At a community meeting held on Wednesday 31 August, residents agreed not to allow this development to go ahead.
The City says it is playing a limited role in the proposed relocation.
“The City of Cape Town plays a limited role in Prasa’s Central line relocation project, which is listed as a ‘Presidential Priority Project’,” reads a joint statement.
“The City’s role is strictly limited as the planning authority for planning applications, responsible for the delivery of basic services to the relocated community once funding for these services has been provided by the national government. The project lead is Prasa and their appointed implementing agent, the Housing Development Agency (HDA), working with the National Department of Transport and the National Department of Human Settlements.”
No consultations or public participation processes have yet been held. The proposal has also not been heard at either of the local subcouncils.
“The City is keen to see the Central line up and running again, as there are hundreds of thousands of commuters in Cape Town who once relied on the rail system for public transport. Most of these commuters have been left stranded by Prasa’s failure to protect its land from illegal occupation, resulting in the shutdown of the service. However, due diligence in accordance with the City’s Municipal Planning By-law and planning processes, and community participation, are central to this project,” continues the statement.
It also confirms that Prasa and the HDA are purchasing land for “Phase 1” relocations.
“These are the occupants who are currently located within the Langa station rail reserve. The identified private land parcels are situated in the Philippi Wedge Area,” the statement reads.
Jansen says while the clearing and operation of the Central line are important for the commuters of Cape Town, he cannot support the relocation of more people to the PHA while others continue to suffer. “I cannot support the relocation of more people to the area because of the currently existing challenges in the area with existing informal settlements relating to basic services on land belonging to other spheres of government and private owners. Crime in the PHA is also spiraling out of control. Moving more people will exacerbate the problem,” he says.
Jansen claims that informal settlements like Siqalo, Oasis and Egoli have been struggling without basic services, like electricity, for years “because they are situated on private land and property owners refuse to give the City permission to provide those much-needed services”.
He says the proposed move is a recipe for conflict and disaster.
Traffic congestion, basic services, protests and poor service delivery are some of the residents’ concerns.
Last year in November, the Western Cape High Court granted Prasa an eight-month extension to relocate the families living along the Langa railway line. This has since lapsed.
The first land invasion took place in 2016 on Prasa-owned land. The informal settlement, known as Siyahlala, then expanded towards the train station along the railway tracks.
Last year, courts granted permission for the families to be moved from the tracks. Around 2 000 emergency housing units were initially meant to be established on a parcel of land in Eerste River. However, these plans were met with pushback from the community.
“The community of Eerste River issued a petition in September, opposing the proposed move of Langa residents to their area. Consultations with the receiving community are still ongoing,” Prasa said in a statement earlier this year.
Earlier media reports indicated that 8 000 households, inclusive of Langa, Khayelitsha and Philippi – all illegally occupying Prasa-owned land – needed to be relocated.
Eddie Andrews, Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning and environment, says the HDA is responsible for public participation and engagement in the relocation project. Andrews says this consultation is to be concluded in conjunction with the City.
“I want to assure residents and interested parties that no decision has been made as yet. We are only just beginning the first stage of public consultation. We are committed to consulting our residents, and the City will, in due course, invite members of the public to submit written comments on the proposal to use the identified land for emergency housing,” he says.
According to Andrews, all comments will be duly considered.
“Thus, residents will have the opportunity to participate and comment on Prasa’s proposal to relocate households from the Langa station to these land parcels. We will soon make an announcement to inform all concerned of the processes to be followed,” he says.
Rob Quintas, Mayco member for urban mobility, agrees that the re-establishment of rail services is important to the City.
Phase 2 will include Philippi and Khayelitsha stations. No land has been acquired as yet.
Malusi Booi, Mayco member for human settlements, says any acquisition of land parcels for human settlement purposes by Prasa will be subject to public participation and due process as per the provisions of the Municipal Planning By-Law.
“All relevant community stakeholders will be thoroughly consulted should Prasa initiate a rezoning application,” says Booi.
He adds that the relocations will be subject to housing legislation and state-housing requirements. He says the accommodation for relocates would be informed by their housing status as per the Housing Needs Registrar.
“The City does not support queue-jumping and is careful to objectively apply housing laws, which outline emergency accommodation alternatives where there is health and safety risk to people who have settled on land that is not appropriate for housing, such as under power lines, on railway lines, in wetlands and on flood plains,” says Booi.
