Joburg set to move Setswetla residents amid Covid-19 pandemic
The City of Johannesburg says plans are underway to move residents of the Setswetla informal settlement in Alexandra.
Housing MMC Mlungisi Mabaso visited two sites in Malboro on Tuesday to where at least 1600 families will be moved over the next three to four months.
The plan is to build transitional houses for the residents while permanent houses are built for them elsewhere.
"We are in the process, the ward councillor will begin engaging with various stakeholders. On our side we are ready, we are just waiting for those engagements, out of 5900 residents, we are going to move 1600 families," said Mabaso
Setswetla is densely-populated and the majority of residents are foreign nationals.
The area is also prone to flooding as a lot of the shacks were built at the edge of the Jukskei River.
#Setswetla The houses and shacks are very close to the Jukskei River pic.twitter.com/UKHSAWBlur
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) May 5, 2020
We are at the site in Malboro now where the city will build temporary structures. #Setswetla pic.twitter.com/rEK0JOLeTR
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) May 5, 2020
Mabaso said the city’s plans do not include the undocumented foreign nationals living in the area.
The Department of Home Affairs will be asked to intervene.
"If we move 1600 households here and we deal with undocumented foreign nationals then we will be able to develop this area, because there is a plan to develop and upgrade informal settlements, Mabaso said.