Latest news with #GautengDepartmentofHumanSettlements
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- General
- The Citizen
‘We feel used': Was Chris Hani land allocation just a political ‘publicity stunt'?
Gauteng Human Settlements Department denied the claims, insists the department is following due process. Four months after they were promised land, residents in Chris Hani Gardens, Daveyton, are still waiting, and believe they may have been used to score political points. Frustrated residents have accused the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements of misleading them, while officials insist the process is still underway. 'A lie sold' Community member Senzekile Dhladhla was among the more than 1,600 residents who packed a marquee in the area on 13 March this year for a well-publicised Rapid Land Release Programme (RLRP) handover ceremony. The Rapid Land Release Programme aims to provide serviced stands ranging from 150m² to 200m² to qualifying households who can't afford housing without government support. Beneficiaries have five years to build and are prohibited from selling their stands in the first eight years. Dhladhla, who registered and was approved under the programme, told The Citizen that she and other residents had received allocation letters and SMSes instructing them to visit the site for official stand allocation. However, two visits in March and again on 1 July have still yielded no results. 'On both occasions, after a symbolic handover to a few individuals, we were told our certificates were not ready. We've heard nothing concrete since March,' Dhladhla told The Citizen. She said no one in the community had received their promised stand. Dhladhla described the ongoing delays as 'deeply frustrating'. 'Many of us are backyard dwellers or still live with our parents. We thought this land would finally give us a forever home, but it feels like a lie sold to the public for publicity. We feel used,' she said. Dhladhla said they were later summoned again in July, only for officials to blame service providers for delays. ALSO READ: Over 170 000 title deeds yet to be issued in Gauteng No delays, says department Speaking to The Citizen, Gauteng Human Settlements spokesperson Tahir Sema denied claims that the initiative was a publicity stunt, insisting the department is following due process. 'The Chris Hani event was a symbolic handover for 10 beneficiaries. There are 2 560 beneficiaries in total, and the department follows a phased approach to handing over certificates,' she said. According to Sema, the department must complete internal procurement to appoint a service provider to print certificates with specific security features. 'Issuing is then concluded by department officials,' he said. Sema acknowledged the growing frustration but asked for patience. 'The claims [of this being a publicity stunt] stem from the excitement and long wait for land. We are fully committed to the RLRP and ensuring each beneficiary receives a title deed.' ALSO READ: Slovo Park informal settlement: Portfolio committee expresses project fears Residents demand accountability Despite the department's assurances, residents say the lack of communication and repeated postponements have left them disillusioned. 'We want transparency and action. We were promised land. Now we want answers,' said Dhladhla. NOW READ: Over 2 800 informal homes lost to fire: Government spends R99m on relief efforts
The Citizen
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Tshwane plan to relocate east informal settlement dwellers unfolds
The Tshwane metro confirmed that the construction drawings for the establishment of the Pretorius Park Ext 40 Township are now being finalised and will soon be submitted to the relevant authorities to pave the way for development shortly. This move marks a step towards the long-anticipated relocation of residents from Cemetery View and Plastic View informal settlements in the east of Pretoria. The city also revealed that the Surveyor General Diagrams for the long-awaited township development have been approved. Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said a multidisciplinary team was officially appointed on June 12, 2024, to drive the project. 'The team of engineers and specialists are currently busy with the planning phase, working on designs to prepare the land that will ultimately accommodate hundreds of families living in the fire-prone settlements.' The long-anticipated relocation of residents from Cemetery View and Plastic View informal settlements is a dawn that thousands of east ratepayers eagerly await. Once complete, Pretorius Park Ext 40 is expected to form part of the city's broader spatial integration plan, offering both government-subsidised housing and social rental units to residents currently living in unsafe and overcrowded conditions. Pretorius Park Ext 40 will integrate the poor into the affluent Garsfontein area, in pursuit of spatial transformation and integration principles espoused in the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (Act No. 16 of 2013). East of Pretoria ratepayers have been calling on the municipality to relocate residents from informal settlements through legal efforts to evict them, having been in the courts for years with multiple failed eviction processes thwarted by Human Rights organisations. Pretorius Park will ultimately offer 863 housing units, 300 of which will be fully subsidised by the government. The remaining units will be allocated for social housing rental stock. The qualifying beneficiaries from Cemetery View (currently home to 866 households) and Plastic View (with over 900 households) will be relocated to the new development. Mashigo said a contractor will be appointed during the 2025/26 financial year. 'The project is still in the planning phase; the contractor will be appointed in the next financial year. The designs and construction drawings are underway currently,' said Mashigo. Previously, the municipality said a submission was made to the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements to fund the top structure construction under the current Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). This will follow the installation of bulk infrastructure, including water, sewer, roads, and stormwater systems. The relocation of Cemetery View residents has been discussed for over a decade. In 2010, the city attempted to prevent land invasions by demolishing structures and evicting illegal occupiers at the Cemetery View informal settlement. However, after a court case brought to the North Gauteng High Court, the city was ordered to provide emergency relief in the form of temporary shelters. This led to a court settlement on August 18, 2010, requiring the city to eventually provide permanent alternative accommodation. The process has since faced multiple objections from neighbouring property owners, homeowner associations, and civil society organisations. The city had to revise and resubmit its township planning application in March 2020, which was only approved by the Municipal Planning Tribunal in August 2022. The final approval for the Conditions of Establishment and Layout Plan for Pretorius Park Ext 40 was granted on January 3 2023, clearing a major hurdle in the city's goal of building a formal, integrated community in the Garsfontein area. Mashigo said the city will expedite the implementation of Pretorious Park Ext 40 and ensure that the urban management activities are implemented on both informal settlements to prevent any further pollution and invasion. 'In the interim, Tshwane Metro Police Department is deployed on site to attend to any transgressions of law.' The city previously said it is pushing for the relocation move to be at least by 2029. Mashigo mentioned previously that the city has limited powers over evictions due to the existing court order, which makes it difficult for the city to implement certain measures. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
09-05-2025
- The Citizen
Man killed in structural collapse at abandoned R11 billion housing project
The Montrose Mega City housing project began in 2017 but has since stalled due to the liquidation of appointed contractors. A man died on the West Rand after being trapped under the rubble of an incomplete social housing project. The man was declared dead after a wall at the dilapidated government housing development collapsed on Tuesday. The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements (GDHS) extended its condolences to the deceased's family and stated that it was still committed to the project's completion. Failed steel reinforcements GDHS confirmed on Thursday that police were investigating the matter, but that the victim should not have been on the property. 'Preliminary information indicates that the individual was involved in unauthorised illegal activities at the site when a portion of a staircase structure collapsed,' the department stated. 'We wish to clarify that the building itself did not collapse, but rather that slabs forming part of the staircase gave way as the building's steel reinforcements were tampered with,' it clarified. The site has been a danger for several years, and the department stated that it was now in the final stages of securing a security service provider. The department reminded community members not to access the buildings, as further damage and vandalism will only delay their construction. 'I plead with the community not to enter the site, and to desist from removing any materials on the site,' stated Human Settlements MEC Tasneem Motara. 'We have criminally charged those found stealing on site and will do so again should we find any criminal activity on site again,' the MEC added. Montrose Mega City The Montrose Mega City project in Randfontein was launched in 2017 but has since failed to realise its proposed potential. The fully completed project was meant to provide just over 10 500 units of varying sizes at a cost of R11 billion for the impoverished people of the surrounding informal settlements. Infrastructure of any value that was installed has been stripped by vandals, while the unoccupied ruins are a haven for criminality and shelter for illegal miners. The development remains a brick-and-mortar shell without basic utilities and only temporary water and sewer infrastructure. Only R467 million of that overall budget has been spent so far, however, the long-term human cost of the stalled project is yet to be realised. Calls for investigation In the aftermath of the incident, Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow MEC Evert du Plessis stated the department had 'blood on their hands'. 'Premier Lesufi's government chose an incompetent company that has failed to deliver and is now holding this R11 billion project to ransom,' stated Du Plessis. ActionSA have also flagged the project's wastefulness in recent months, joining the DA in calling for accountability and extensive investigations. 'In addition to being an infrastructure disaster, this project is a breach of public confidence and a waste of tax revenue that could have changed lives and supplied much-needed housing,' stated ActionSA's Emma More. Commitment to completion GDHS confirmed the housing project was still part of their plans, representing a 'significant step in our commitment to delivering sustainable human settlements'. The department stated that it is in contact with the landowner to discuss the way forward after the appointed developer has been liquidated. 'The Department will continue to update the community of any progress we make in this regard. 'We remain fully committed to the safe and successful completion of the Montrose Mega City Development,' the department concluded. NOW READ: PICS: Gauteng's abandoned projects ruined by 'challenges' and vandalism
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Montrose now a ‘certified danger zone'
The Montrose Mega City Development has become a 'death trap' for residents, according to Evert du Plessis, Member of the Provincial Legislature and DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Human Settlements. His sharp criticism follows the tragic collapse of a structure at the site on May 5, which claimed one life. • Also read: One dead in Montrose building collapse In a statement released on May 7, Du Plessis stated that Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the MEC for Human Settlements, Tasneem Motara, have blood on their hands and need to answer for it. 'Instead of hiring a competent developer, Lesufi's government chose an incompetent company that has failed to deliver and is now holding this R11b project to ransom. Sadly, the residents face the consequences of the developers' and politicians' actions. An urgent investigation must be launched into this tragic incident, and those responsible must be held accountable regardless of their position in the power structure,' said Du Plessis. He continued the project remains unfinished despite having cost over R467m of taxpayer money since it began. He attributed this to a dispute between the the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements and the developer of the project which has now left the site 'a certified danger zone'. 'Rather than providing relief to the thousands of residents in Randfontein, who are currently enduring inhumane and undignified living conditions, the project highlights the Gauteng government's tragic failure to deliver adequate housing.' He noted the DA has warned that if housing projects are left abandoned, they will be occupied illegally and vandalised by those with criminal intentions. Our caution fell on the deaf ears of an arrogant government, and now these projects are facing invasions and vandalism, which will undoubtedly lead to higher repair costs,' he stated. 'The DA Gauteng offers its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased in the Montrose tragedies,' Du Plessis concluded. Rand West City Local Municipality spokesperson Phillip Montshiwa declined to comment on the project, directing inquiries to the provincial government. Despite efforts to reach the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements and the project developer, no response had been received at the time of publication. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
08-05-2025
- IOL News
Tragic accident at Randfontein construction site prompts Gauteng Department's urgent response
SARZA volunteers and emergency responders at the Randfontein collapse site, where one body was recovered late Monday, May 5. Image: Arrive Alive The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements expressed its sorrow on Thursday over the tragic incident earlier this week at the Montrose Mega City Development site in Randfontein, which resulted in one fatality. The department said preliminary information indicates that the deceased was involved in unauthorised illegal activities at the site when a portion of a staircase structure collapsed and fell on him. According to the department, the building itself did not collapse; instead, slabs that were part of the staircase gave way due to tampering with the building's steel reinforcements. Gauteng MEC of Human Settlements, Tasneem Motara. Image: File, Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers The department said the matter has been reported to the police, and a formal investigation is under way. Gauteng MEC of Human Settlements, Tasneem Motara said: "We call upon the local community to join us in protecting this important housing development. Land invasions, theft, and vandalism not only delay the delivery of much-needed housing but also endanger lives." The department stated that they are negotiating with the landowner to determine the best approach for taking over the project, which remains a key priority as it represents a significant step in their commitment to delivering sustainable human settlements. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng have called for Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the Motara to be held accountable for the death, citing that the structure is deteriorating. According to the DA, the government chose an incompetent company instead of hiring a competent developer, and the company has failed to deliver and is now holding this R11 billion project to ransom. The DA's Evert Du Plessis said: "Rather than providing relief to the thousands of residents in Randfontein who are currently enduring inhumane and undignified living conditions, the project highlights the Gauteng government's tragic failure to deliver adequate housing."
