MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Police members of the Public Order Policing unit in George were on 29 January called upon for assistance when unhappy residents of Powertown burnt tires in protest of plans to relocate some of the community to Sonskynvallei.
As a result, the N2 national road between Little Brak River and Hartenbos was closed for a while in both directions.
The spokesperson for the minister Zalisile Mbali said Powertown was established in 1996 and many investigations were subsequently done in collaboration with the Western Cape Provincial Administration to relocate the settlement as Powertown is situated in a flood plain area and therefore not suitable for human habitation.
"In 2013, the mayor of Mossel Bay had an agreement with the residents of Powertown to be relocated to Sonskynvallei. The majority of the community were willing to be relocated to Sonskynvallei." Mbali said that a small group of residents has since been influencing the community not to relocate.
"On 29 February a small handful of people clothed in ANC T-shirts tried to disrupt proceedings at the meeting. When the Minister told them to stop playing politics they left, intimidating the people who wanted to stay, to walk out with them."
According to Mbali half of the people in the hall remained and the minister made it very clear that government will start with the process to register people who want houses in Sonskynvallei.
"People welcomed the news as they know that Powertown is built on a flood plain that is prone to flooding."
During the meeting the minister urged the community to engage with the authorities in a constructive manner, and advised those who were opposed to the relocation to present their genuine concerns and issues on why they resist plans to relocate them to Sonskynvallei.
The municipal director of planning and integrated services Mr Carel Venter said 152 sites were already finalised. "The threat of repeated flooding of the settlement that was largely built on a flood plain is the reason we cannot formalise Powertown," Venter advised.
Read more next week when Powertown's residents will have a chance to share their views on their relocation with the Mossel Bay Advertiser.
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Powertown-optrede word betreur
"Die optrede van sommige van Powertown se inwoners op Maandagaand, 29 Februarie, toe 'n vergadering van mnr Bongani Madikazela, Minister van Menslike Nedersetting in die Wes-Kaap oor behuisingskwessies ontwrig is, is regtig betreurenswaardig."
Só reageer die Uitvoerende Burgemeester, Raadsdame Marie Ferreira, op die voorvalle vandeesweek by die informele nedersetting langs die N2 by Klein-Brakrivier toe kinders onder meer buitebande op die N2 aan die brand gesteek het en die pad vir 'n tyd gesluit moes word.
Die SA Polisiediens se openbare orde-eenheid moes ook ingryp.
"Daar is geweldige moeite oor baie jare gedoen om die Powertown-probleem aan te spreek omdat die nedersetting op die vloedvlakte van die Klein-Brakrivier geleë is. Ons weet almal uit ervaring oor die jare dat Powertown gereeld oorstroom word as die rivier in vloed is, en dat die mense dan ontwrig word en skade ly.
"Daar is reeds verskeie ooreenkomste met die mense aangegaan om hulle te verskuif, maar ongelukkig is ooreenkomste al 'n paar keer verbreek, meestal weens politieke aanhitsery. Dit was Maandagaand opmerklik dat van die mense wat die meeste te sê gehad het, nié inwoners van Powertown was nie," het Raadsdame Ferreira gesê.
Sy het gesê daar is 'n ooreenkoms bereik om die 152 gesinne na Sonskynvallei te verskuif waar daar reeds ver gevorder is met beplanning om nuwe huise vir hulle te bou. Spesiale vergunnings is ook verkry dat daar afgewyk kan word van Regeringsbeleid om nie aan persone onder 40 jaar huise te verskaf nie.
"Ongelukkig wil van die mense nou nie meer trek nie, en dit is duidelik dat daar weer opstokery aan die gang is, deur onder meer mense wat politieke munt uit die situasie probeer slaan. Die Munisipaliteit beskik nie oor ander grond waarheen die inwoners van Powertown verskuif kan word nie.
Deur nie te wil trek soos daar na omvattende onderhandelinge ooreengekom is nie, kan dit volg dat veral die mense onder die ouderdom van 40 jaar hulle in 'n situasie bevind waar hulle nie vir ander huise kwalifiseer nie.
"Ek doen dus 'n ernstige beroep op al die mense van Powertown om hierdie geleentheid te gebruik om geboude huise te bekom in 'n veilige omgewing waar hulle nie so aan die natuurlike elemente blootgestel sal wees nie, " het Raadsdame Ferreira benadruk.
ARTIKEL: CORNELLE CARSTENS, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER-JOERNALIS
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