A project to remove squatters and illegal structures from the Philippi and Langa railway tracks is under way, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) said on Sunday.
Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said the project was being carried out by Prasa’s Corporate Real Estate Solutions division in conjunction with national, provincial and local housing authorities.
The aim was to relocate the affected communities to suitable alternative sites in a legal and dignified manner.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula visited the Siyahlala informal settlement on the railway line in Langa on Thursday. Picture: Sisonke Mlamla/Cape Argus
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula visited the Siyahlala informal settlement on the railway tracks in Langa last week. He said at the time that challenges faced by Prasa had a socio-economic element to them.
“Our people don’t have land and have seized Prasa’s land to build shacks on tracks.”
Mbalula promised the squatters that government would arrange to relocate them to suitable land, “because Prasa was unable to place signalling and was in constant fear of train derailment on the people”.
Scott said Prasa understood and acknowledged that the informal dwellings were erected out of despair and desperation.
Residents in Samora Machel have previously built shacks in between disused train tracks at Philippi train station. Picture: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA)
However, living close to railway tracks posed a danger to the residents and to rail operations, and led to further degradation of rail infrastructure and assets.
“These informal settlements are without amenities and services, leading to illegal electrical connections, disposal of sewage on to rail reserves, and impedes rail modernisation,” she said.
Good party secretary-general Brett Herron said the solution to encroachment on to the rail reserve, where some people were literally living on the edge of the tracks, has been the subject of discussion between the City and Prasa for years.
He said a proposed solution was the development of a “hard edge” using buildings with their backs to the rail reserve.
“The City did some preliminary planning... and community engagement. I recall that Prasa and the ministry were the causes of delay because they never got approval to transfer the land to the City so we could implement the solution,” Herron said.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula.
Mayco member for human settlements Malusi Booi said they were in the final stage of the project, and warned people not to occupy land and buildings without an owner’s consent.
Booi said the City had an deep understanding of the acute accommodation need across the metro.
“Staff are on the ground 24/7, always ready to assist where they can. Unfortunately, the illegal occupation of buildings and land mostly brings misery, as invaded land becomes a flood, fire and health risk.”
He said ongoing land invasions, the illegal occupation of buildings and calls by some to invade land or illegally occupy state, city, or private land and buildings held great risks for housing delivery in Cape Town.