OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday
VICTIMS of the March floods in Alexandra, Johannesburg have been barred from moving into temporary housing on eight hectares of land adjoining the Leeuwkop Prison after a successful court injunction by residents in the area.
The Pretoria High Court blocked the flood victims from moving into the houses until an environmental impact study has been done and proper consultations held with residents of the area.
The people have been living in tents erected by a Taiwanese Buddhist charity organisation and a hall provided by the Rhema Church in Marlboro, Johannesburg, since the Jukskei River broke its banks, washing away their homes.
Judge Hekkie Daniels also ordered a halt to construction of the 200 houses, saying there was no evidence that the settlement was only a temporary measure.
Contractor Asanang CC handed over 130 of the houses to the Gauteng provincial government in July. They have been standing largely empty pending the outcome of the case.
Daniels said the fact that permanent housing was to be built 18km from the temporary houses, which had infrastructure and were in walking distance of shops, schools and crches, made it difficult to believe they would willingly move to a strange environment.
In addition, it was unfair to expect these destitute people to move to an area where they would have to use public transport they could ill afford, he said.
Daniels noted both Public Works Minister Stella Sigcau’s argument that their existing conditions were poor, with insufficient sanitation and water, and that of the Kyalami Ridge Environmental Association (KREA), which claimed the settlement was unlawful and would increase crime, pollution and traffic congestion, and adversely impact on property values, roads, fauna and flora, and residents’ rural lifestyle.
Sigcau’s office had been vague about when permanent housing would be available, if ever, saying only that there was good reason to believe the process would be completed in the next six months.
It bothered him he had not been told what would happen to the houses after the flood victims vacated them, Daniels said, awarding costs against the Minister of Public Works and Asanang CC.