Residents still live in mud
Residents of Soshanguve South in Extension 10, 12 and 13 – who have been without infrastructure for about 11 years – are accusing the Tshwane metro of neglecting their location and favouring other areas.
Residents of Soshanguve South in Extension 10, 12 and 13 – who have been without infrastructure for about 11 years – are accusing the Tshwane metro of neglecting their location and favouring other areas. They say since their settlements were established there hasn’t been proper roads and proper development.
During the rainy season residents have to use plastic bags to walk through muddy streets, which again was experienced on Wednesday. One of the residents of Extension 10, Alice Mavhimbela, said it was tough for them to use plastic bags during the rain, walking through the mud.
“It is very surprising that Extension 10, 12 and 13 were established more than ten years ago but it has not been developed like Extension 6 where people have good RDP houses, tarred roads and water. But here nothing is happening,” she said. Mavhimbela added that they have tried on many occasions to find out from their councillor about the processes of developing the area, but their queries have never been answered.
Wednesday’s rain forced several residents in Extension 13 to leave their cars next to the M17 highway out of fear that they might get stuck in the mud. According to residents who spoke to Record, the mud caused nightmares for them, as it hindered their daily activities.
Numerous residents said they remained behind closed doors until the rain stopped because they did not want to walk through the mud. Jeminah Mhaule said it was tough for her to live in the area and she was considering relocating. “During the rainy season I am used to buying many plastic bags but I am now fed up. My plan is to leave this area. This is not fair at all,” she said.
According to Ezrael Mole, who has been living in the area for the past eight years, residents were no longer hopeful about the development in the area. “We have tried on numerous occasions to embark on community protests and also asked the councillor to address us but nothing positive has ever happened. At the moment we are just taking life in this area as it is,” said Mole.
He added that the road signs meant nothing to them as the area needed proper development. “We are tired of complaining about this simple thing. They have to take us seriously and at least build a tarred road to make our lives simpler, especially during the rainy season. That’s all we want, nothing else,” he added.
Ward 37 councillor Siphiwe Montlha said he was aware of the crisis in the areas and there were planned interventions to sort out the mud. “We have made sure that sand was put on some of the main roads as we are still negotiating with the municipality to sort out the mess in this area. At the moment, I don’t want to lie. There’s no budget for those places. But we are pushing harder for upgrades,” he said.
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