12 January 2007
The Gautrain Project has reached agreement with three residents of Marlboro
who brought an urgent application to the court to set aside the expropriation
of their properties.
The applicants claimed that the Gautrain expropriation process was
unlawfully conducted. The settlement reached confirms a legally fair process
has been followed. To assist the expropriated owners the Gautrain Project
agreed to assist the owner, whose property is urgently required, with temporary
accommodation and the storage of their furniture until the end of February. The
other two only have to vacate their properties by 28 February.
This extension on obtaining land required for Gautrain will not have an
impact on the construction timetable and no extra cost on the Project will be
incurred. The Gauteng Province is busy with the expropriation for the largest
rail project currently under construction in the world and it is being done in
the most densely populated area in South Africa.
"We are doing our best to accommodate people and to be as fair and sensitive
as possible within the parameters of the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure
Act.
"Based on the agreement reached between the residents and Gautrain, I am
comfortable with the process that the Gauteng Province has followed with
regards to the expropriation of properties for the Gautrain Project."
"The settlement confirms that the process of acquiring land for the Gautrain
Project was done lawfully with full consideration of individual concerns," said
Gautrain Project Leader Jack van der Merwe.
For more information contact
Barbara Jensen
Cell: 083 600 4862
Issued by: Gauteng Provincial Government
12 January 2007
Source: SAPA
