RESIDENTS of Malacca Road Informal Settlement have welcomed the commitment from the City to electrify the settlement. Chairperson of the settlement, Sibonelo Mketwa, said the residents were pleased that something would be done to improve their living conditions. In May last year, the settlement voted to move as one to the Cornubia Housing Development, a process that could take a few years.
Residents were given a choice by housing department officials, either 39 families leave Malacca Road and the rest stay; or the entire settlement consisting of 79 households, move as one.
After voting to move as one the City said it would electrify the settlement, a move which has materialised less than a year later.
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“I’m glad we have a concrete plan of moving forward. It has been difficult for us in the settlement and we are all pleased we have a commitment from the City. We have a number of young children at the settlement and the illegal connections running through the settlement are dangerous,” Mketwa said.
Earlier this week, the City’s land invasion unit demolished two shacks which had been illegally added to the settlement.
“I’m surprised they only demolished two as more shacks were put up before those two. We don’t want to jeopardise our move to Cornubia and it’s been very hard for myself in particular to monitor the erection of new dwellings. The City have sent me an email saying they would like to work together to curb the mushrooming of shacks at the settlement,” he said.
