MORE than 140 people were evacuated from the Moth Building in Joburg on 11 December, to tackle issues related to hijacked buildings.
However, their relocation to Fleurhof has sparked controversy, as local residents expressed opposition to the newcomers.
Some residents of Fleurhof have threatened to occupy empty government housing blocks should the former Moth Building occupants remain.
These residents claimed the newcomers are foreign nationals and unemployed, questioning how they will manage rental payments.
Joburg Mayor Dada Morero and MMC for Housing Mlungisi Mabaso have facilitated the relocation of the Moth Building residents.
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The group arrived in Fleurhof escorted by JMPD officers in trucks.
MMC Mabaso dismissed claims that foreign nationals were being housed in Fleurhof.
"The policy regarding human settlements allocation doesn't make a provision for foreign nationals' allocations," he said.
"When we conducted our operations, we were working closely with Home Affairs."
Mabaso said that during pre-screening, 10 undocumented foreign nationals were identified, with Home Affairs managing their cases.
"The evacuation from the inner city was a result of a court order requiring us to remove people from the Moth Building, which was deemed beyond repair and no longer reputable," he said.
The MMC further clarified that the rental unit allocation process is distinct from the allocation of RDP houses.
"With RDPs, a waiting list is maintained, whereas rental units require an assessment of affordability. Fleurhof units were identified based on this affordability criterion," he said.
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