The DA has applauded the recent march by residents of the Makause informal settlement, in Primrose.
The march highlighted the poor level of service delivery from the metro and the absolute filth in which so many South Africans are forced to live.
“As the ward councillor, I was informed that there would be a march and, while we support the right to protest, the DA strongly condemns damage caused to any council or private property,” said Ward 21 councillor Tania Campbell.
“Residents of Ekurhuleni and the poorest of the poor are once again the victims of mismanagement and the lack of proper planning by highly paid executive directors of the
metro.
“The DA believes the buck should stop with the executive mayor, Clr Mondli Gungubele.
“He must put progressive measures in place to ensure residents of informal settlements can live with dignity.
“As the ward councillor for Makause, I have met with the leaders of the informal settlement and the relevant council departments on a number of occasions, to address the issues of service delivery in the area, with very little success.”
She added that the residents are growing tired of the empty promises made by the metro.
“Over the years, I have handed in petitions on the issues of solid waste, housing and water.
“The mere fact that housing has been the number one priority on my IDP for over 10 years highlights a major shortcoming by the metro,” Campbell said.
“The failure to provide service delivery is robbing the community of the right to live their lives with dignity.
“Mountains of solid waste litter the entrance to Makause, while the solid waste department keeps implementing ‘pilot projects’.
“However, nothing the department does has been sustainable.
“This, in itself, has huge health risks for all members of the community who are forced to live in squalor.
“No toilets have been rolled out in the informal settlement and the community is still making use of inhumane pit toilets.”
Campbell said that the surrounding suburban areas have seen property values plummet, due to the high levels of filth, and investors do not want to return to the once-thriving CBD of Primrose, which is having a negative impact on job creation in the area.
“The right to dignity is enshrined in our constitution and, therefore, I agree with the frustrations of the community, who feel they have been forgotten by the metro at even the most basic levels,” she added.
“It is demonstrations and marches like this that show people deserve more and are getting fed-up.
Related articles:
Watch all the action: ‘We want houses, service delivery!’
Makause residents take to the streets in service delivery protest
