People have set up shacks on the Philippi and Langa railway tracks. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency(ANA)
Cape Town - The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) has come up with a new initiative, Project Bhekela, in an effort to clear the railway line in Philippi while land for the illegal occupants is being sought.
The re-opening of the Central Line has been delayed while people are living on the tracks.
Now the plan is to move those occupying the rail infrastructure to Prasa-owned land near Stock Road.
Acting head of security Alexio Papadopulo told the standing committee on public accounts on Tuesday that Prasa has developed Project Bhekela.
“Unfortunately, Prasa is not in the business of relocation. While we are waiting for HAD (Housing Development Agency) and the City of Cape Town with regard to identifying land, Prasa has taken an approach where we started implementing Project Bhekela,” Papadopulo said.
He said while standing at Philippi train station, you can not see the rail because of the informal settlement.
“We worked together with communities in order to shift current shacks interfering 10m away from our infrastructure.
“We got to a point where there are approximately 800 shacks on the Nyanga side to Phillipi.
“We identified land in Prasa land near Stock Road as a temporary measure.”
Papadopulo said as of the end of May, they would have completed moving the 800 shacks and allow the contractors to start rebuilding the rail infrastructure.
“That is the project the late Loyiso Nkohla really assisted Prasa with communities. That project is moving,” he said.
Cape Times