DURBAN - THE eThekwini Municipality is facing complaints over earmarking land in Phoenix, that the community uses as a sportsfield or play lot for children, for infill housing.
The DA has accused the municipality of seizing plots of land that was maintained and used by residents, DA councillor without informing them, and developing it for houses.
But the municipality said the plots of land were not official recreational areas and had been underutilised.
Infill houses are housing projects that take place within an established township. These homes cater for lowto middle-income earners and can be brought through loans or other financial instruments. The municipality said 380 of these projects were completed last year.
There are currently 12 projects taking place in Phoenix which are at different stages of construction.
The municipality said there were several similar projects that were planned for the coming year and declined to reveal where they were situated. It said it had already earmarked available land for the projects.
The issue of the infill projects in Phoenix emerged during a council meeting last week.
The DA tabled a motion asking for the municipality to explore other parcels of land when building infill houses before targeting the play lots that have been largely maintained by the community.
The motion called for Phoenix residents to be informed and to give consent prior to play lots or sports fields being used for housing projects.
In his motion, DA councillor Samier Singh said the majority of soccer fields, play lots and vacant fields maintained by residents were taken away for the infill housing scheme.
He said the DA agreed that there was a need for infill houses in the area but wanted proper procedures to be followed (when allocating land for development).
“There has been no community participation or consultation in this process,” said the party’s motion.
“There are many sport fields that are maintained by the community for many years and now given away for infill housing schemes.
“These lands fall under the eThekwini Municipality and so it can do something now by adding community participation and identifying if the community is happy in allowing infill housing development to be erected at certain identified plots,” it said.
It said if there was a majority opposition to the development, the city was obligated to stop the development and take the land back.
“It is totally unfair that our kids and future generations will not have a sportsfield or play lot to play on.
“It is also unfair that the vacant land used by the diverse community of Phoenix on a regular basis and maintained by them is taken away. This will impact on religious events and funeral services,” said Singh.
He said there was enough land which was misused for illegal dumping and these plots should be identified first for housing.
But the ANC fired back saying the DA was trying to hold on to apartheid spatial planning that separated communities; it said part of the problems that led to the recent violence in the area was because these communities have not gotten to know each other as neighbours.
ANC councillor Thanduxolo Sabelo said the motion should be rejected with contempt.
He said it was untrue that procedures were not followed in the building of infill houses.
He said the infill project was part of ensuring that the city gives decent and affordable houses to the residents of eThekwini.
“It is typical of the DA to try by all means to preserve the apartheid spatial planning,” adding that this new approach to development by the eThekwini municipality was designed to ensure that communities live side by side.
“This motion is clear, the DA wants to cancel the infill housing project; when you speak about new processes when we are already in the middle of a programme to implement the infill programme, it means you want to stop it.
“We are going to continue with this development which ensures social cohesion,” said Sabelo.
Municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said: “The vacant plots are zoned for residential development. These are not formal recreational spaces (play lots), they are vacant and underutilised land.”
“Over 3 500 units have been built,” he said.
THE MERCURY