Residents of Lapland informal settlement in Gqeberha (formerly known as Port Elizabeth) are preparing to move to a site in Van Rooyen Avenue.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) announced this afternoon, that the Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT), approved ERF 17639, for 100 families from Lapland, who were affected by floods in June 2024.
Sithembiso Soyaya, the Municipality’s Spokesperson, said both the Department of Water and Sanitation and DEDEAT, agreed the informal settlement is on a flood plain, and downstream of the Tiryville dam.
Gary van Niekerk, the Executive Mayor of the NMBM, said “we are ecstatic to have received approval on Monday, the 22nd July 2024, to relocate the community affected by floods. We have noted the conditions attached to the approval and our teams are already working on them. We will provide basic services to the sites and then construct temporary shelters.”
Conditions accompanying the approval, include the appointment of an environmental officer to oversee implementation of the construction of the development.
Other stipulated conditions are the provision of temporary water and sanitation services, as well as the demolishing of the old site back in Lapland.
Earlier this month, community members protested, demanding President Ramaphosa, returns to address their needs.