Shack dwellers to be moved to a formal settlement
During the Imbizo, the community wanted to know if they would still be moved to a formal settlement by December this year as undertaken by the municipality
DELMAS -Premier David Mabuza has committed that all residents residing in the shacks around Delmas will be moved to a new formal settlement by March 2014.
Speaking at an Imbizo on Saturday in the Victor Khanye Municipality, Mabuza publicly committed that all citizens who currently do not have RDP houses, would first be registered and subsequently be moved to a service land.
During the Imbizo, the community wanted to know if they would still be moved to a formal settlement by December this year as undertaken by the municipality. To that, the Premier requested an extension from the residents to have them moved by March 2014.
Mabuza asked both Human Settlements MEC Andries Gamede and Cogta MEC Simon Skosana to work with the municipality on the establishment of the new location that will have the RDP houses, water, electricity and the roads.
He also appreciated the work done by government as many residents had their RDP houses, however he was still concerned about those who were still living in the informal settlements.
He explained that the shacks did not bring “dignity” to those residents who were still utilising them as their homes adding that the process of registration should commence as soon as possible.
“I am putting my head on the block, come rain, come sunshine, whether it would be at night or during the day, by March next year, you will move to your new formal settlement which will have all the necessary infrastructure.
“Today we are making a Vezimfundo High School Accord. This government will provide you with your houses, but you will also not build new shacks. The ruling party made a contract with you that it will change your lives for the better; indeed the houses will be built on a service land,” said Mabuza. Accompanied by Cogta and Water Affairs ministers, he also handed over more than 800 title deeds to the RDP houses in Delmas. Earlier in the day, they handed over 25 luxurious and upmarket houses sponsored by a local mining company, Exarro.
The Premier has since donated beds while the municipality has put curtains on all 25 Premier Mabuza’s Kancane Kancane Housing Legacy project.
Early this year, Water Affairs Minister Edna Molewa opened a multi-million rand bulk water pipe to the community of Delmas. The RDP houses have waterborne toilets which have prevented water related diseases.
