During the past weeks, two groups in the area have expressed their unhappiness
with aspects of service delivery within the Merafong City Local Municipality.
On 12 July, a group that included several pensioners marched to the municipality’s
Carletonville offices in protest against the fact that some beneficiaries still do not have the low-cost houses that were allocated to them years ago.
While an investigation was conducted into the circumstances surrounding the allegations, the group says the report was never made available to them.
“Since 2010, we have been fighting to get the houses to those to whom they were rightfully allocated,” one of the group, Ms Linda Lujabe, told the Herald.
In another march, people from various informal housing areas in Khutsong marched to the Khutsong Police Station on 19 July to show their unhappiness about still not having electricity in their shacks.
“The municipality promised us that we would have had electricity by earlier this year. This never happened and no one will tell us why they are not helping us,” one of the protesters told the Herald before the march.
The Herald took the community’s concerns to the municipality.
“The striking community members were under the impression that the municipality would respond to issues raised in a council meeting, concerning a housing project that was implemented by the North West Department of Housing and Local Government in 1996/97. The matter was subsequently withdrawn and has been reported to the Public Protector for further investigation as it relates to projects that the Merafong City Local Municipality did not implement. There is currently no housing project underway in Wedela.
“Community members who are in need of housing and meet the set application
requirements are welcome to apply for housing in Khutsong,” a municipal spokesperson said with regard to the first issue.
“There is already an Eskom programme, funded by the Department of Energy, that is addressing the provision of electricity to the informal settlements and preparations are at an advanced stage. For further information in this regard, please contact the Department of Energy or Eskom directly, since it is not a municipal project,” he said in reply to the questions about the electricity.