CAPE Town mayor Patricia de Lille is to convene an urgent meeting with community leaders this week in a bid to resolve tensions regarding the relocation of some families from Khayelitsha to Mfuleni.

This followed Mfuleni backyarders' protest against the City of Cape Town's intended move.

At the weekend, the backyarders occupied the land earmarked for the relocation, and burnt tyres. They said they did not want Khayelitsha residents in their area.

They also demanded that decent houses be built for them on the land earmarked for relocation of the Khayelitsha residents.

No incident of violence was however reported.

In December, a devastating fire destroyed many people's homes at BM Section in Khayelitsha, leaving about 4000 people homeless.

The city is now planning to relocate about 850 people, including 450 fire victims, to Mfuleni.

De Lille said there had been consultation with the Khayelitsha families and the Mfuleni community regarding the relocation process.

She said she wpold convene an urgent meeting with Mfuleni community leaders in a bid to resolve the tension.

De Lille also said more details of the planned meetings would be announced at a later stage.

She said Mfuleni is the most suitable area to relocate the affected families.

Human settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela's spokesman Bruce Oom said the department was supporting the city in the relocation of families and the provision of housing for people across the city.

"The department supports the city's plans and understands that there might be conflicts due to the high demand for housing and the limited resources to supply those houses," Madikizela said.