Tempers flare at Ward 97 meeting

Ward 97 residents were invited to a public meeting with Johannesburg Water (JW) on Friday, January 17 at Ikemeleng Village, officiated by Ward 97 councillor (Clr) Jacques Hoon.

The meetings are regularly hosted to allow residents to communicate with their ward councillors on issues affecting their areas, as well as being kept up to date with new developments. Residents were welcomed with introductions from Hoon, who briefly spoke about the new development with JW to provide residents of Ikemeleng Village with running water by installing new taps for each unit.

Hoon further elaborated that residents will be provided with proper communal bathrooms as they have endured unhygienic mobile toilets which were not properly maintained while others used buckets for toilets.

This new initiative was briefly explained by JW stakeholder relations specialist Avuyile Mcimbi, who later allowed residents to write their names, contact details and their units.

“The money for this operation will be provided by a national grant which is directed at improving the living conditions of residents living in informal settlements. We welcome this initiative and collaboration with JW to assist the community as a way to ensure the residents of Ikemeleng Village feel part of the community,” Hoon said.

The meeting was unfortunately cut short by certain disagreements with residents who reside in Ward 97.

“The big concern in our ward is that the informal status of this settlement remains in question, which is fair considering the history of how it developed. Normally, the Informal Settlement Upgrading Programme (ISUP) looks at improving settlements which have a permanent status, meaning the government has concluded that the community will never be moved.

“In this case, Ikemeleng residents were evicted from nearby plots during the Covid-19 pandemic and provided temporary housing and until a permanent solution is given to the residents, it still stands in question,” Hoon added.