Slovo Park explosion victims still waiting for help, councillor demands action
Ward councillor Charmaine Kock has called on authorities to provide urgent relief for residents affected by the Slovo Park explosion.
Following the unexpected explosion that took place at Slovo Park Phase 2 in July last year, the area’s ward councillor, Charmaine Kock, demands that the City of Ekurhuleni and the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements intervene in the matter to rebuild the homes in the area.
The Springs Advertiser reported on the explosion, where many homes in the area were destroyed, leaving families displaced, with one homeowner, Issac Khumalo, pleading for help to rebuild his home where the explosion took place.
Donations from various local businesses, including building materials and food, were made to help the residents rebuild.
Kock stated that the city and the metro must conduct immediate emergency relief for all affected residents, including proper temporary shelter and a full structural assessment of all damaged houses.
She added that the metro and the department must conduct swift repairs that address both safety and habitability and transparency on budgets and project plans related to this disaster response.
She expressed concern that the affected residents have been abandoned by the metro, which has failed to provide meaningful relief.
“The city’s promises of temporary shelter also remain unfulfilled, forcing some of the displaced families to rely on relatives for accommodation.”
“Many residents continue to live in unsafe and undignified conditions, with shattered windows, damaged roofs and corrugated iron sheeting that remains loose and vulnerable to strong winds,” said Kock.
The councillor said that the provincial government initially committed to repairing eight of the most severely affected homes.
According to Kock, when contractors were eventually deployed, their work was limited to superficial window repairs, while structurally compromised walls at risk of collapse were ignored.
“This neglect is totally unacceptable and is a violation of residents’ right to access adequate housing,” she said.
Kock emphasised that as a councillor, she will fight relentlessly for the affected residents and ensure that their plight is not ignored.
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