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Residents of the Eerste Fabriek informal settlement in Mamelodi, who were displaced by the floods in Tshwane, will be resettled elsewhere, Gauteng Premier David Makhura announced on Wednesday.
Speaking to residents who are being temporarily accommodated at the Mamelodi Methodist Church, Makhura said a committee had been established to look at relocating those living in the informal settlement.
He said the committee would look at the options of relocating people, and that a report would be compiled by Friday.
In the meantime, Makhura explained to residents that they could not go back to Eerste Fabriek, as it remained dangerous, especially with the possibility of more heavy rain.
"Some of the people are already rebuilding there. We want to make sure that we don’t keep going back there to save people who are building right on the flood plain.
"We will not rest until we have resettled the people in appropriate places, but one of the key things includes urging the people not to go back to where people have built on flood plains."
Eerste Fabriek is one such settlement that was built along the banks of a river that flows through Mamelodi.
The danger of flooding has always been present because the informal settlement was built along a flood plain.
On Monday, floods destroyed more than 700 shacks in Eerste Fabriek and displaced about 1 300 people.
PICS | Mamelodi floods: 'I watched as my shack was swept away'
News24 previously reported that a number of people also had to be rescued after they were trapped inside the informal settlement as a result of the rising waters.
While the premier urged people not to return to the informal settlement, he said the City should be enforcing bylaws to ensure that they stay away from the unsafe area.
Makhura addressed residents on Wednesday afternoon after it emerged that President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was supposed to meet with the community, could no longer do so due to a prolonged meeting over Eskom and the recent rolling blackouts.
