Pretoria – Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has welcomed news that the evicted Lwandle residents in Cape Town will soon be moved into emergency houses.
In a statement, the minister said families will from tonight and Thursday morning be moved out of the Nomzamo Community Hall, which has served as the temporary accommodation.
This follows the minister’s intervention following the widely criticised evictions early this month.
She said the Housing Development Agency (HDA) informed her that the construction of emergency houses had started.
"When we intervened we said our immediate task is to move the people to temporary accommodation for their lives to return to normal, your life cannot be normal when you are accommodated in a cold hall in winter, l am happy that we are now here,” she said.
The move comes after 800 residents were evicted from their informal settlements following a court order that they be removed, as the land they stayed on was being occupied illegally.
The land in question is reportedly owned by the SA National Roads Agency (Sanral).
After this, the minister intervened and established a Commission of Enquiry, giving it two months to report back with the findings that would reveal the circumstances that led to the inhumane evictions.
Minister Sisulu said the construction of the emergency houses must be fast tracked and that all those currently accommodated in the hall must be out by Sunday.
"I have instructed the HDA to make sure we complete the relocation of the people as a matter of urgency from there the Mayor of the City of Cape Town has promised us that the families, those who qualify will be allocated permanent homes in different projects of the City of Cape Town," she said.
The minister said lessons would be drawn from the evictions saga, adding that the Commission of Enquiry would reveal the circumstances that led to the evictions. – SAnews.gov.za
