Residents of the Vygieskraal informal settlement will have to continue waiting for homes after the site proposed for a housing development was found to be a wetland.
The proposal to develop erf 134383 in Hanover Park for residents of the informal settlement was tabled at a Sub-council 17 meeting in November. Some of the residents have been living there for 30 years.
However, Sub-council 17 rejected the proposal.
Ward councillor Magedien Davids said the land could not be used for housing as a canal ran under it and 50% is a natural and a semi-natural wetland.
The vacant site is surrounded by Blomvlei, Lynburg, Artus Walk and Sundown Walk roads.
The human settlement implementation department has, however, identified six parcels of land in Hanover Park near to the proposed site. These pieces of land have either already been reserved or are in the process of being reserved for human settlement.
During the sub-council meeting it was recommended that the initial site which was proposed, the wetland, be identified as a medium- to long-term alternative for further investigation for development.
It was also recommended that the process for the six parcels be fast-tracked.
Mr Davids said a meeting with mayor Dan Plato would be set up in the new year to discuss the six parcels of land.
He urged the residents of Vygieskraal to have patience.
“They will be moved. They must just give me time. I am fighting for them and I do have something in mind for them but I first have to propose it to the mayor,” he said.
Felicity Purchase, the City’s mayoral committee member for transport and urban development said the City could not give more details, such as the type of housing or the number of units because this was a pre-feasiblity study and more investigation was needed.
“The City has identified at least six parcels of land in Hanover Park which are in close proximity to Erf 134383. These land parcels have either been reserved or are in the process of being reserved for housing projects. A consultant has been appointed to do the preliminary design, and to undertake the other statutory requirements.
“We will be able to provide more information to the public once this process has been concluded,” she said.