City replies to its Royal Road critics

THE City has responded to complaints by members of the Maitland Residents and Ratepayers Association (MRRA) who had complained about being kept in the dark with regards to what they said was “the mushrooming of the Royal Road informal settlement.”

MRRA deputy chairperson Ebrahim Jassiem said they were shocked to see developments going up recently, with the City erecting zinc structures and a road without letting the MRRA or residents know what was happening.

Jassiem said: “There has been no interaction between the City or ward 56 councillor Helen Jacobs (DA) and the MRRA and all our pleas for engagement have been ignored.”

He claimed Jacobs had met with and made promises to the people living at the informal settlement but had not held an engagement with the MRRA.

Reached for comment, Jacobs denied the MRRA contention that any promises had been made to the residents of the informal settlement behind their backs.

Jacobs also said that whenever she had visited the informal settlement the MRRA always accompanied her and were made aware of whatever was happening.

Explaining the work at the settlement, Mayco member for human settlements Malusi Booi said the property on which the informal settlement was built belonged to the Province, which intends to build a Community Development Centre (CDC) on it.

He said that to proceed with development of the CDC, the informal area required re-blocking to make room for the development of the CDC.

Booi also said the Province and the City had identified an area on the same site, which would be used as a Temporary Relocation Area (TRA) while the CDC was being built and that the TRA includes access to basic services.

“The informal area is not being expanded, but is being improved to enhance the living conditions of residents in the informal area.”

Booi said the City had an opendoor policy and was always willing to engage and listen to the grievances of the community and provide support that was feasible and practical.