Residents of the Makause, Angelo, Delmore and Marathon informal settlements were introduced to the re-blocking programme – an initiative to decongest informal settlements in order to upscale service delivery, last Friday.<\/p>\n
Visiting these areas as part of the mayoral Siyaqhuba Service Delivery programme, Ekurhuleni\u2019s executive mayor, Clr Mzwandile Masina, said re-blocking was important to restore the dignity of people in informal settlements, while waiting for housing developments.<\/p>
Re-blocking will ensure that informal settlements are accessible, through the grading of roads, while essential services such as electricity and waste services are provided, among other things.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile new chemical toilets are being phased in, channelling of storm water systems and establishing formalised dumping sites has begun.<\/p>
\u201cWard councillors in these areas will, further, meet with the communities to formally educate residents about the re-blocking process,\u201d Masina said.<\/p>\n
During the visits the mayor also interacted with members of the community who raised various concerns, especially around issues of crime and the lack of recreational facilities in these areas.<\/p>\n
Another issue that was brought to the mayor\u2019s attention was a lack of lighting, which exposes people to crime.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe heard the community and their issues were genuine; I have since instructed the officials to immediately intervene,” he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWork must begin on any issue that can be sorted out immediately.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor instance, we were told about street lights not functioning along Main Reef Road, near the Angelo informal settlement, and that issue was immediately resolved.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be understood that the purpose of Siyaqhuba is to accelerate service delivery while testing public opinion about the services we render to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The mayor\u2019s visit to the informal settlements was the fourth edition of Siyaqhuba, which has already taken the mayor and the mayoral committee to Tembisa, Katlehong and Tsakane.<\/p>\n
Reacting to the mayor\u2019s visit, Pieter Chokoe, a resident of the Angelo informal settlement, said: \u201cIf the mayor didn\u2019t come we wouldn\u2019t have known that the reason our toilets are being phased out was to make way for an even better system.\u201d<\/p>\n
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