Clay Oven community challenges local councillor to meet them face to face to discuss their issues
Clay Oven resident said those who claim that the residents in the informal settlement were responsible for crime in the area must provide them with evidence of their claims.
The residents of Clay Oven informal settlement have invited Ward 93 councillor Vino Reddy to come and meet them face to face to respond to allegations levelled against them.
This was after some members of the community called for a speedy process to relocate the residents during a Ward 93 public meeting held on August 22 at Rivonia Recreation Centre. During the meeting, some residents accused the Clay Oven residents of criminal activities and environmental pollution in the area.
Residents of the informal settlement said they were not intimidated by those calling for their relocation because they would only leave once the government had provided them with proper housing in a location close to their workplaces.
Clay Oven community leader Sabina Molale accused Reddy of neglecting their area and refusing to meet with residents despite numerous requests by them.
“I’ve personally requested Vino Reddy to come and meet with residents who wanted to raise their service delivery concerns with him but he never pitched. He only came here once when we had a problem with our toilets,” he claimed.
Silwayiphi Ndlovu who has lived in the area for more than 20 years said those who claimed that the residents of the informal settlement were responsible for criminal activities in the area must provide police with evidence of their claims.
However, Reddy refuted claims by Molale that he had refused to meet with the Clay Oven community.
“I have engaged with the community on several occasions and each time they have not identified [their] leadership nor have I been invited to any meeting with the Clay Oven residents,” claimed Reddy.
“This illegal informal settlement is situated on the remainder of portion 119 of the farm Rietfontein 2 IR, a road reserve that belongs to the Gauteng Provincial Administration. The land was invaded in 2012 according to photographic evidence on the Geographic Information System.
“This office has arranged several multidisciplinary inspections of the property and the regional director of Group Citizen Relationship and Urban Management has done her utmost in trying to relocate this community through the housing department and had several mayoral visits to the property.”
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