Thabiso Goba8 March 2025 | 8:01

Some Baghdad informal settlement residents accuse govt of trying to relocate them to 'death traps'

Government has built about 200 corrugated iron houses near the Baghdad informal settlement, however, the residents are refusing to move, calling the houses 'tin fish shacks'.

Some Baghdad informal settlement residents accuse govt of trying to relocate them to 'death traps'

Some of the newly built shacks where government plans to move the Salvokop residents to, to accommodate for the Salvokop precinct development project. Picture: Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News

JOHANNESBURG - Some residents of Baghdad informal settlement have accused the government of trying to relocate them to “death traps” to make way for a multibillion-rand project.
 
The Salvokop precinct project is currently delayed due to residents of Baghdad refusing to vacate the illegally occupied government land.
 
On Friday, Baghdad residents marched to the Department of Public Works’ Pretoria offices, demanding better relocation houses.
 
Government has built about 200 corrugated iron houses near the Baghdad informal settlement.
 
This is where the government is planning to temporarily accommodate the residents from the settlement.
 
However, the residents are refusing to move, calling the houses “tin fish shacks”.
 
Community leader, Opulence Mavuso said the government accommodation is too close to the construction site.
 
“There will be clouds of dust flying into those shacks, now we have to breathe the dust and the dirt that will fly from the scavenging of this mountain. That’s a health issue. We are afraid that if we go and stay there, it will be more like a death trap.”
 
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure said the relocation needs to happen as soon as possible as the project cannot be delayed any longer.