GAUTENG Premier Nomvula Mokonyane and her mayors say the province is a victim of its own success.
They reached this conclusion at the Gauteng Premier's Coordination Forum in July.
They have insisted this is reflected in the recent spate of protests in the province.
"These protests are launched under the guise of poor service delivery when, in fact, Gauteng has become the victim of its own success," Mokonyane said.
The forum agreed to conduct a study to ascertain the impact of migration on government services.
The province plans to build 330000 units by 2015.
But environmentalists have cautioned that proper planning is needed. Development in and around wetland areas is a huge contributor to the floods that South Africa is battling with.
Mondi Wetlands Programme project coordinator Vaughan Koopman said the increase of hardened surfaces "definitely" leads to increased risks of flooding.
"If wetlands are managed properly and naturally, they reduce the risk of flooding," Koopman said.
Now this poses a serious problem for the province as more and more economic migrants flood Gauteng, the more stark becomes the issue of suitable and available land and housing.
In September Gauteng MEC for local government and housing Humphrey Mmemezi said hundreds of families living on dolomitic land would be removed.
The department's recent studies show that about a quarter of Gauteng is on dolomitic land, which includes a third of the development in the province.
Over the years geologist have recorded about 2600 sinkholes, some of which have damaged homes and property at an estimated loss of more than R1.5-billion.
These factors have contributed to a growing trend of RDP house invasions as seen in Chief Albert Luthuli and Eden Park extension settlements in Ekurhuleni.
Residents in social housing have also clashed with the government and police over evictions, as seen in Pennyville in southern Johannesburg and several developments in Germiston, Ekurhuleni.
Massive land grabs hit Lenasia in southern Johannesburg and the provincial government has spent the better part of the year trying to get a court order to demolish houses built illegally.
In June the housing department said it was going to court to evict people who had illegally occupied 900 RDP houses out of 2408 in Eden Park.
Spokesman Motsamai Motlhaolwa said: "The department had spent about R60-million on 903 houses. It will now further cost up to R7-million to evict the illegal occupants and provide them with basic services such as water and sanitation on alternative land."
Gauteng 'a victim of its success'
GAUTENG Premier Nomvula Mokonyane and her mayors say the province is a victim of its own success.
They reached this conclusion at the Gauteng Premier's Coordination Forum in July.
They have insisted this is reflected in the recent spate of protests in the province.
"These protests are launched under the guise of poor service delivery when, in fact, Gauteng has become the victim of its own success," Mokonyane said.
The forum agreed to conduct a study to ascertain the impact of migration on government services.
The province plans to build 330000 units by 2015.
But environmentalists have cautioned that proper planning is needed. Development in and around wetland areas is a huge contributor to the floods that South Africa is battling with.
Mondi Wetlands Programme project coordinator Vaughan Koopman said the increase of hardened surfaces "definitely" leads to increased risks of flooding.
"If wetlands are managed properly and naturally, they reduce the risk of flooding," Koopman said.
Now this poses a serious problem for the province as more and more economic migrants flood Gauteng, the more stark becomes the issue of suitable and available land and housing.
In September Gauteng MEC for local government and housing Humphrey Mmemezi said hundreds of families living on dolomitic land would be removed.
The department's recent studies show that about a quarter of Gauteng is on dolomitic land, which includes a third of the development in the province.
Over the years geologist have recorded about 2600 sinkholes, some of which have damaged homes and property at an estimated loss of more than R1.5-billion.
These factors have contributed to a growing trend of RDP house invasions as seen in Chief Albert Luthuli and Eden Park extension settlements in Ekurhuleni.
Residents in social housing have also clashed with the government and police over evictions, as seen in Pennyville in southern Johannesburg and several developments in Germiston, Ekurhuleni.
Massive land grabs hit Lenasia in southern Johannesburg and the provincial government has spent the better part of the year trying to get a court order to demolish houses built illegally.
In June the housing department said it was going to court to evict people who had illegally occupied 900 RDP houses out of 2408 in Eden Park.
Spokesman Motsamai Motlhaolwa said: "The department had spent about R60-million on 903 houses. It will now further cost up to R7-million to evict the illegal occupants and provide them with basic services such as water and sanitation on alternative land."
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