Heritage Cases

The project has been initiated by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements together with the Merafong City Local Municipality and West Rand District Municipality in order to relocate residents from the Khutsong Hostel, Khutsong Extensions 1 and 6 as well as the Khutsong informal Area to an area adjacent to the existing Khutsong South settlement. The areas mentioned above, that are currently inhabited, are unsafe due to underlying geological instabilities. A study undertaken by the Council for Geoscience in 1989 and recommended that development in the existing area of Khutsong should be “frozen” and geologically suitable land is identified where development investment should be channelled. A geotechnical study followed in 1997 undertaken by a firm of consultants “Intraconsult”. This study revealed that 90% of the existing Khutsong’s residential area falls within the extremely high-risk dolomite zones 3 and 4 which are not suitable for human settlement development. The current site was selected, due to the following key reasons: • Proximity to existing hostel, • All bulk services in close proximity, • Site in reasonable proximity to CBD, and • Site included in Spatial Development Framework (SDF). . Improved access to affordable and RDP housing is a key theme of the IDP for the Merafong City Local Municipality whilst the residents of the Khutsong Hostel area are also in constant danger due to the unstable geology of the area. These statements constitute both a need and desirability for the proposed development. The proposed housing development will also include schools, community centres and open spaces which are desirable for a development of this nature.