27 Jul 2014

Parliament has been informed that there are no plans to relocate residents of Malelejwe, Tshwaane, Semoane and Njutshaa to Dukwane settlement.

Answering a question in parliament, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr Peter Siele said the decision was informed by a study which was undertaken by the Central District Land Use Planning Unit (DLUPU) in August 2010.

He said the study was per the motion requesting the relocation of the residents from their settlements. Furthermore, Mr Siele said the study revealed that the area is not prone to floods and as such people could not be resettled in Dukwane.

Minister Siele said the findings of the study were presented to the Central District Council during its sitting of September 2010 and the council resolved that people should relocate to recognized villages of Nata and Dukwi.

He said the reasons for such a decision were, among others, the predominant land use in the settlements is mainly arable grazing, there are several water points in the area and Ngwato Land Board Management Policy states that water points should be 10km away from villages.

“The other reason was that the populations are below the minimum required for recognition of a settlement which is 500 as per the Revised National Settlement Policy of 2004,” said Minister Siele.

He said the 2011 population census results for the settlements were Tshwane 175, Malelejwe 168, Semoane 129 and Njutshaa 114.

Minister Siele further said there are no costs involved as individuals will be relocating to the nearest recognised villages of their choice.

He said resettlement to recognized villages is a cost effective and sustainable solution as people in these settlements will have access to services.

Minister Siele was answering a question in parliament from MP for Nata/Gweta Mr Rayner Makosha who had asked the minister to update parliament on the anticipated re-settlement exercise of the residents of Malelejwe, Tshwaane, Semoane and Njutshaa to Dukwane considering the fact that the areas are prone to floods every year.

MP Makosha had also asked the minister to state any hindrances to these resettlements and how they will be resolved, the cost involved and whether the minister does not consider the resettlement a better solution to the current system of emergency evacuation annually. ENDS