Cape Town - The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has been quietly relocating the central line squatters.

The process started weeks ago and the aim is to move all 891 families to their own land situated behind the Stock Road transport hub in Philippi.

Spokesperson Andiswa Makana said: “The relocation of 891 households is a temporary interim measure to allow for Prasa to recover the remainder of the Central Line so the business can run trains all the way to Chris Hani and Kapteinsklip.

“This relocation marks a significant milestone in the overarching effort to recover and restore passenger rail services on the Central Line. The households are being relocated to Prasa-owned land as part of the Prasa-led initiative, Operation Bhekela.

“Operation Bhekela, has been instrumental in recovering and reopening the Cape Town to Langa and Nyanga lines. The temporary relocation of the 891 households is part of a broader initiative to permanently relocate the 5 195 illegal dwellers along the Central Line in the Western Cape. The process to permanently relocate the shack dwellers on the Central Line is still ongoing.”

She added that the temporary relocation was expected to be completed by the end of this year.

“The permanent relocation will be done in phases. Currently, we are dealing with phase 1. A rezoning application has been sent to the City of Cape Town for processing.”

Basic services such as ablution facilities and water had been provided by the City.

“The temporary relocation to Stock Road is expected to be completed by end of December 2023. Recognising the urgency to restore the Central Line, three spheres of government – National Departments of Transport, Human Settlements, and Public Works, their provincial departments, the City of Cape Town, alongside the Housing Development Agency and Prasa have collaboratively joined forces to address the relocation of the illegal dwellers comprehensively.

“It is only through this intergovernmental framework and partnership that we can achieve the permanent relocation of the illegal dwellers and successfully restore the Central Line.”

Shacks erected on the Central line just outside Langa train station seen in 2021. Picture Henk Kruger/African News Agency(ANA)

Makana said the Philippi wedge was pending the rezoning process.

“We are waiting on the City to make a decision or adjudicate. The rezoning application for the wedge was submitted.”

Mitchells Plain councillor Elton Jansen said Prasa had not submitted a land use application for the relocation.

“That (the relocation area) is a potential problem for the immediate and adjacent people in Mitchells Plain.”

Earlier this month on December 9, Jansen went with law enforcement officers and the land invasion unit after hearing of the relocation to the wedge.

“It was rumoured that the people would be relocated to the wedge, but we want to assure people that there will be no structures built on the wedge.”

mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

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