INHUMAN NEGLECT IN LERATONG VILLAGE INFORMAL SETTLEMENT
There is vast inhuman neglect of basic needs for the residents of Leratong Village informal settlement in the Roodepoort area bordering on Mogale City.
I visited there yesterday (27 August) on my 24th monthly visit as part of the DA's "Don't forget the forgotten" campaign in which I visit deprived areas in Gauteng and spend the night to experience what it's like for people to live there.
I was accompanied by DA councillor Jackie Matladi and DA activists.
About 8000 people live in 2000 shacks in the Leratong Village informal settlement which is near the Leratong Hospital.
A large group of residents gathered to tell me their problems.
Lack of electricity is a major problem even though there are nearby power lines for the neighbouring RDP houses.
Water is another big problem as there were only about 15 working taps.
I bought 10 taps from a nearby store, and a local unemployed plumber, Mr Nickolas Mdluli, installed them all in about an hour.
These taps cost R30 each. Why was it do difficult for the council to fix them when I got it done almost immediately?
The local ANC councillor, Mr Sabelo Ncana, is particularly useless. Residents all complained about his unavailability and inability to get anything done.
The other big problem is that the VIP pit toilets are not cleaned regularly by the council. I also saw sewage running down the dirt streets.
I visited nearby Matholeville, as well, which is equally neglected. Although big money has been allocated for houses and roads there, virtually nothing has happened because of gross incompetence and probable corruption.
701 housing units were supposed to be built, but there have been four contractors over seven years who have failed to do the job.
At the old Durban Deep hostel I found about 2000 people living in terrible conditions.
This property has been taken over by a new owner with development plans who served an eviction notice on residents to leave by the end of August.
This notice has now been extended to January next year, and DA councillors are trying to ensure that the existing residents are accommodated in future plans.
I stayed the night at Leratong at the shack of Mr Isaac Thebe and Virginia Tshabile, and their two young children.
Their lives will improve if council takes a decision to upgrade the area and give residents ownership of the land. They also want a local school and clinic.
They need to be assisted to uplift themselves, instead of the current neglect where even the fixing of taps is beyond the capability of the council.
Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Leader, Gauteng Legislature, August 28 2013
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