http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5014523
Mandate grows for delivery task team
June 04, 2009 Edition 1
Lindsay Dentlinger
MAYOR Dan Plato has resuscitated the city task team that responded to the Khayelitsha service delivery protests a month ago, adding to its mandate.
It must now also work to find solutions to illegal squatting, the relocation of people living in flood-prone areas, and providing services to those living on private land.
Focusing firmly on addressing service issues and the concerns of the informal residents, Plato told a Mayco meeting yesterday he was being pressed by non-governmental organisations for details of how the city intended to deal with issues facing people living in problematic conditions.
The task team first met on May 6, under the direction of city manager Achmat Ebrahim, to respond to protests in Khayelitsha. Now it will also:
# Identify land for relocation.
# Discuss with Eskom progress on the electrification of informal areas.
# Assess the most flood-prone areas.
# Design an action plan for service provision to squatters living on privately owned land.
# Assess how to deal with land invasions.
# Determine the budgetary implications of providing services to informal areas.
Plato said three pieces of land had been identified for the relocation of people living in unsuitable conditions.
City officials fear land invasions if the locations are identified.
Plato said the city would consider asking the province for money from its emergency housing fund to cover the cost of responding to the service delivery issues.
He said the city could not provide services to people living illegally on private land.
On Monday, the city got a court order to prevent people occupying land in Macassar, in response to an order obtained by the Anti-Eviction Campaign on Friday prohibiting the city from breaking down any structures built on the land.
The land is earmarked for a housing project of 2 500 units, and an environmental impact assessment is under way.
Plato said the city could not obtain a similar order for Bloekombos, where it clashed with locals on Sunday when it removed pegs marking out about 200 plots in preparation for people moving on to the land. The land belonged to the provincial government, he said.
He said “droves and droves of taxis” had taken people to the city’s housing offices to be registered on the database.
Grace Blouw, manager of existing settlements, said this seemed to be an orchestrated attempt to “flood” the offices.
lindsay.dentlinger@inl.co.za