Princess informal settlement residents march to Premier’s office for answers
The community demands accountability over R1b that was allocated in 2015 for housing projects.
A few Princess informal settlement residents gathered at the local sports ground on Monday morning, November 4, and marched to the Gauteng Premier’s office to demand answers over a R1b allocation made in 2015 for housing development and other service delivery issues.
According to a 2015 Roodepoort Record article, the then Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements launched the Princess Plots Housing Project, which was supposed to be implemented in six phases.
• Read the initial article here: Princess: R1 billion to be spent on housing
However, the community claims that while phase one was successfully built and completed, the remaining five have stalled and are still in question, considering the budget that was allocated.
Numerous residents expressed frustration, alleging that some residents occupy units of phase one illegally and that incorrect allocations were made to individuals not from the area.
Cecelia Kelebogile Naledi shared her personal struggle, saying in 2013, they were relocated from the phase one site temporarily, with promises of allocation.
“Although I was approved and received a letter, I was denied access to my unit, which is now occupied by others. This has hindered my ability to apply for housing elsewhere.”
• Also read: Princess social housing project completion date postponed
Another resident, MerryJane Nyathi, said Princess informal Settlement is neglected in all dimensions, including job opportunities and housing developments.
She’s been a resident for 25 years and adds that the area continues to deteriorate despite multiple efforts to engage the relevant authorities.
They marched to ask the Premier to intervene on unfulfilled promises and lack of response to the memorandum that they handed over this year.
“As women in the area, we are raising our voices against the continued neglect, lack of service delivery, and the ongoing struggles facing our community,” Nyathi said.
The memorandum highlights issues such as dirty water, overcrowding due to illegal immigrants, lack of proper sanitation, crime, and electricity challenges. The residents are demanding to have these long-standing problems be addressed.
This is a developing story, and more information will follow as it becomes available.
