As anger and upset rages on about the existence of Pretoria East’s massive informal settlement, known as Plastic View, non-governmental organisations and humanitarian groups continue to call for residents living within to be protected.
The area, made mostly of plastic, cardboard and other hazardous material, has gone up in flames several times a year over the last 10 years, due to the close proximity of the shacks, and also because of the lack of electricity it has.
Home to many foreign nationals and South Africans who migrated into the city for work, the settlement remains a bone of contention, as, being situated in an effluent area, it is seen as an embarrassing spot on the otherwise leafy suburbs, with residents often claiming it bred criminals and degraded their property.
Tshwane, whose fire and emergency services have constantly had to rush there when fires broke out, mainly in the night, promised to relocate the community of more than 3 000 men women and children, but has not, as plans have not been approved for the five years since they were announced.
Lawyers for Human Rights and other humanitarian organisations have opposed the relocation to the suburbs of Woodlands, Garsfontein, Moreleta Park and Mooikloof, saying this would create another ‘nuisance’.
Speaking during a public participation meeting on the environmental impact of the new development last year, the various groups said moving the settlement to the new development consisting of low-cost housing was no solution to an already bothersome problem.
The move was stalled, despite the city saying the the plot on which the informal settlement was located, was up for auction. A high court interdict prevented them from selling it last year, with Judge Legodi Phatudi, in an urgent interdict, saying auctioning off the property would cause residents irreparable harm.
Phatudi said it would not be feasible to negotiate a relocation plan once the land had been sold.
And since then groups have gone in to offer pre-school children some form of activity and edutainment, and recently, 500 smoke detectors were installed there, community members orientated and educated on ways to escape when fires broke out when the detectors were activated, after an insurer stepped in to sponsor them.
This was after more than 250 people were left homeless after a blaze swept through the informal settlement.
Sunday Independent