DURBAN - THE Msunduzi Municipality is looking to begin the process to relocate the people living in the Jika Joe informal settlement area.
A report released by the municipality said that recently built flats were almost ready and it was getting ready to relocate some people in the area.
During the council meeting on Wednesday morning, the municipality said it would start the “decanting” process to ensure that there are no other slums emerging in the area.
The municipality said the flats were ready and that members of the council should take the time to tour the flats as they are “beautiful”.
The municipality said only the external works remain as they were not part of the original building contract. The external work includes paving and building the roads, as well as the building of the guard house.
It said the Treasury Department had, however, approved the funding to build all these external works.
Hundreds of people are to be relocated from the informal settlement into the flats nearby. There have, however, been concerns that many people might not be able to be relocated to the flats, and that could cause tension.
The flats require a rental. There was a concern that people who work but do not get employment pay slips would not be able to prove that they can afford the monthly rental and may be left out or overlooked for the relocation.
There was also a concern that there are many foreigners who live in the area and do not qualify for the flats.
Another thorny issue for the municipality are concerns that the housing projects to accommodate those who do not qualify to be in the flats were behind schedule, and some people might be reluctant to move to areas that are far out of town away from their sources of income.
THE MERCURY