Motherwell residents plead for land
Angry community threatens action if demands for housing are not met
AN elderly Motherwell woman sobbed uncontrollably yesterday as she told how she had suffered several diseases as a result of being cramped up in a small RDP house with her 12 children. Thenjiwe Yose, 55, was one of 300 residents who begged metro human settlements political head Nqaba Bhanga to allow them to erect their shacks on either municipal or privately owned land while they awaited their turn for a house.
But Bhanga, flanked by officials from his department, was adamant that there was no more land available in Motherwell, adding that he was obligated by law to act on those who invaded land. “The government has cut funding,” he said.
“Each year we can only build 3 500, but there are more than 80 000 people on the housing list.
“We know that if we only build 3 500 houses a year, people will wait forever and that is why we have decided to create a site and service system.”
He said this meant that residents would receive a plot with sanitation and electricity while they waited for their turn.
Bhanga was addressing Motherwell and Wells Estates residents at a meeting held at the Raymond Mhlaba sports centre.
Last month, residents who had occupied land illegally were evicted after the municipality obtained a high court order. It led to violent protests. Housing developments are under way at Motherwell NU12, 29, 30 and 31.
A housing list will be made available to the public on the municipality’s website next month. Senior land planning director Schalk Potgieter told the residents no more land was available to build houses in the area.
“There is not much land as there are plans by Prasa to build a railway line that will pass through Motherwell,” he said.
He was referring to the R1-billion railway line project to link Motherwell township with Swartkops. Vulikhaya Pasiya, 35, said they were tired of being told about being placed on a list.
“Land is very important and very serious,” Pasiya said.
“Many of us have been on the municipal lists for many years and some have died while on that list. You keep saying people invading land are from Transkei but I am born and bred in Port Elizabeth and will continue to invade land.”
The angry residents stormed out of the meeting when it was clear that Bhanga would not give in to their pleas.
Residents’ committee spokesman Patrick Ncinane said they were not happy and would march from the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to the City Hall today.