“HAPPY VALLEY is a dumping site for informal settlement people,” were the words from one of the residents of Zilleraine Heights, an informal settlement in Parkwood.
The residents, who were moved to the open land on the corner of Acacia Road and Klip Road in Parkwood early last year after they invaded land in Civic Road in Grassy Park, are among informal settlers in the Western Cape who have been identified to be relocated to Happy Valley in Blackheath.
The residents were initially served with an interdict preventing more people from occupying the land, and then were served with an eviction order. The court case is currently pending.
Two weeks ago, Councillor Dan Plato, the city’s Mayoral Committee Member for Housing, took the residents on a tour of their potential new location, Happy Valley.
The residents of Zilleraine Heights are not the only informal settlers who have been identified for relocation to the “dum?ping site” at Happy Valley.
In a recent article in TygerBurger, sister publication of People’s Post, it was stated that the residents from an informal settlement in Belhar called Hugenotesaal would also potentially be moved to Happy Valley.
The residents of Zilleraine Heights, most of whom do not want to move, describe Happy Valley after their recent visit to the settlement as “a dirty place and crime ridden”. “It is like apartheid all over again. We do not have a choice in the matter,” says Eleanore Hoedemaker, a resident of Zilleraine. Lorraine Heunis says about the visit to Happy Valley, “It seems that Dan Plato tried painting a pretty picture of Happy Valley. When we got to the site, we first got lost and ended up meeting with the committee members of Happy Valley, some of whom have been living there for the past 10 years.”
She says that they were told by the local people what the conditions are like at the settlement.
“They said that that there are not enough toilets for everybody and they don’t clean the toilets often either. They also told us that there is a lot of crime committed in Happy Valley.”
However, she says that when they eventually met up with Plato, people were having a braai “and it looked as if everything was happy”.
But she says this was not a true reflection of what Happy Valley is like every day.
Plato, however, says that at this point in time, Happy Valley is the only alternative for the residents if they are evicted from the land they are currently occupying after the court case.
“They aggravated their own situation by invading land,” he says.
“There is nothing else available for the residents of Zilleraine.”
Plato says that they should be happy because there are “thousands of people who are interested in moving to Happy Valley”.
He adds that Happy Valley will be deve?loped to an formal town with houses within two to three years.
“The quickest way to get a house will be through Happy Valley,” says Plato.
He adds that people should not put strain on his department. “People cannot tell us where we need to put them.”
Plato says that once residents move to Happy Valley, they are to be given a housing starter kit, which consists of plastic sheets and poles.
He admits that the housing starter kit is not adequate for building a proper structure.
“The people want government to give them everything. They must bring their own building materials as well.”
Plato explains that there are toilet facilities at the site, which are shared by three to four families, and they are cleaned every second or third day.
According to the residents of Zilleraine Heights, it was Helen Zille, Executive Mayor of Cape Town, who initially moved them to the land they are now occupying in Parkwood.
But this week when People’s Post approached the mayor’s office for comment we were told that the media enquiry was a housing issue and not one for the Mayor’s office.
People’s Post
The residents, who were moved to the open land on the corner of Acacia Road and Klip Road in Parkwood early last year after they invaded land in Civic Road in Grassy Park, are among informal settlers in the Western Cape who have been identified to be relocated to Happy Valley in Blackheath.
The residents were initially served with an interdict preventing more people from occupying the land, and then were served with an eviction order. The court case is currently pending.
Two weeks ago, Councillor Dan Plato, the city’s Mayoral Committee Member for Housing, took the residents on a tour of their potential new location, Happy Valley.
The residents of Zilleraine Heights are not the only informal settlers who have been identified for relocation to the “dum?ping site” at Happy Valley.
In a recent article in TygerBurger, sister publication of People’s Post, it was stated that the residents from an informal settlement in Belhar called Hugenotesaal would also potentially be moved to Happy Valley.
The residents of Zilleraine Heights, most of whom do not want to move, describe Happy Valley after their recent visit to the settlement as “a dirty place and crime ridden”. “It is like apartheid all over again. We do not have a choice in the matter,” says Eleanore Hoedemaker, a resident of Zilleraine. Lorraine Heunis says about the visit to Happy Valley, “It seems that Dan Plato tried painting a pretty picture of Happy Valley. When we got to the site, we first got lost and ended up meeting with the committee members of Happy Valley, some of whom have been living there for the past 10 years.”
She says that they were told by the local people what the conditions are like at the settlement.
“They said that that there are not enough toilets for everybody and they don’t clean the toilets often either. They also told us that there is a lot of crime committed in Happy Valley.”
However, she says that when they eventually met up with Plato, people were having a braai “and it looked as if everything was happy”.
But she says this was not a true reflection of what Happy Valley is like every day.
Plato, however, says that at this point in time, Happy Valley is the only alternative for the residents if they are evicted from the land they are currently occupying after the court case.
“They aggravated their own situation by invading land,” he says.
“There is nothing else available for the residents of Zilleraine.”
Plato says that they should be happy because there are “thousands of people who are interested in moving to Happy Valley”.
He adds that Happy Valley will be deve?loped to an formal town with houses within two to three years.
“The quickest way to get a house will be through Happy Valley,” says Plato.
He adds that people should not put strain on his department. “People cannot tell us where we need to put them.”
Plato says that once residents move to Happy Valley, they are to be given a housing starter kit, which consists of plastic sheets and poles.
He admits that the housing starter kit is not adequate for building a proper structure.
“The people want government to give them everything. They must bring their own building materials as well.”
Plato explains that there are toilet facilities at the site, which are shared by three to four families, and they are cleaned every second or third day.
According to the residents of Zilleraine Heights, it was Helen Zille, Executive Mayor of Cape Town, who initially moved them to the land they are now occupying in Parkwood.
But this week when People’s Post approached the mayor’s office for comment we were told that the media enquiry was a housing issue and not one for the Mayor’s office.
People’s Post
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