Mayor Patricia de Lille has committed to speeding up the reblocking process for Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay after holding talks with community leaders in the wake of the recent service delivery protests.
Residents blocked the Main and Victoria roads by chopping down trees, burning tyres and using house building
starter kits from the City to bring traffic to a halt, which hampered bus services in
the area.
Community members said the protest was sparked by delay in the City’s reblocking project meant to have begun more than three months
ago. De Lille said she had met community leaders to
address residents’ concerns on Monday.
“Following the meeting in Hout Bay yesterday, I went back to the City’s executive management, who are working on plans for the area and responses to the new issues. We met again last night and brought a proposed plan, asking for their input, and together agreed that we are going to accelerate reblocking across three areas,” said De Lille.
She said the process would start simultaneously in the Madiba Square, the Shooting Range and Donste sites, and a new programme management team would be put in place to oversee the project.
The process of reblocking entails spacing structures and creating pathways for service delivery between dwellings.
The City accommodated residents on the Hout Bay sports field in temporary structures protesters have aptly named “The Three Month Estate”.
This was after a devastating fire left 15000 residents displaced.
The ward councillor for the area, Bheki Hadebe, said De Lille was set to met the community leaders yesterday, following further discussions with the executive management.
“What the community is waiting for now are the proposals and timelines to be finalised and presented to us. The mayor has committed to speeding up the process and now we are waiting for the documentation that cements this project,” said Hadebe.
He said further reports of protests continuing were off the mark as some the housing starter kits used to block
the roads had remained, but would be removed in coming days.
Imizamo Yethu Movement spokesperson Debrah Mkhaphuza said the organisation's members did not attend the meetings with De Lille and her delegates as their leader Markus Nduda and others were arrested.
“They were arrested for their involvement in the protest action, appeared in court and have been released on bail.
“We are aware that people in Shooting Range received orders to vacate the space as the officials prepare to reblock the area,” said Mkhaphuza.
She said their leadership would discuss the way forward, but there remained concerns over the continued conflict between the community leaders due to alleged politicking of the real issues.