CLARE ESTATE INFORMAL SETTLEMENT RELOCATE TO PARKGATE

http://www.durban.gov.za/eThekwini/Municipality/press/439
CLARE ESTATE INFORMAL SETTLEMENT RELOCATE TO PARKGATE
07 October, 2003

One of the country's biggest slum clearance projects became a reality this weekend when fifty impoverished families were relocated from the Quarry Road West settlement to new serviced houses in Parkgate of Durban.

The impoverished families were from the Clare Estate/Reservoir Hills area which has one of the largest informal settlements in the Durban region. Ward councillor Jayraj Bachu described the relocation as "perhaps the biggest slum clearance project in South Africa that will fundamentally alter the lives of most of our people who live in slums". Bachu said that the "shaky edifices" in which the shack dwellers live "does not constitute adequate housing and as families are relocated to their new homes, their shacks are being demolished".

The move is the result of an initiative by former Provincial Minister of Housing, Dumisani Makhaye, who identified the area as part of his Slum Clearance Programme to which R200 million was allocated for the province.

The programme was intended to provide informal settlement residents with adequate housing. The first phase is presently underway and involves the emergency relocation of a cluster of high-risk informal settlements in Clare Estate. These settlements include Vukani (already moved to Welbedacht), Quarry Road West, Canaan, Lusaka, Palmiet Road, Kennedy Road, Foreman Road and Wandsbeck Road. Shack dwellers from Quarry Road West, Canaan and Lusaka are being relocated to Parkgate.

The Parkgate housing project, located on the southwestern border of Verulam and adjacent to the existing residential area known as Meadowlands, was a joint initiative by the Provincial Department of Housing and eThekwini Metro Housing Department under the Slums Clearance Programme.

The Department of Housing approved subsidies in the amount of R31 288 855 for the construction of services and top-structures, while the eThekwini Municipality contributed R29 741 999 to further fund the construction of services.

The Parkgate housing project will accommodate families from four informal settlements and on completion will yield 1530 houses. All sites will be serviced with water, electricity, waterborne sewers and surfaced roads. The beneficiary community is made up of the following number of families: 549 from Quarry Road West, 259 from Lusaka, 279 from Q-Section in Canaan and 84 from Palmview in Parkgate. The balance of the 359 sites will provide for credit linked housing opportunities.

Councillor Bachu said that the laws that prohibit illegal occupation of land will be vigorously enforced to ensure that "we don't demolish slums today only to see them cropping up tomorrow".

Ends.

Enquiries:
Senzo Dlamini
eThekwini Housing Department
311 1421