Residents living in an informal settlement at the Landfill Site received an early Christmas on Friday, 9 December when Mzi Khumalo, Rand West City’s Executive Mayor, distributed quantities of bread and biscuits.
Khumalo was accompanied by Reginald Segwai, secretary of the Johannesburg Soccer Legends, who used to play soccer, back in the old days. Segwai said he played with the likes of Scara Sono, father of the legendary Orlando Pirates star, Jomo Sono.
For one Landfill resident, Mkhuseli Mtabeni, it was like a dream come true to meet the mayor.
“Mayor Mzi is the first mayor to put his foot here. We have never seen another mayor come here,” Mkhuseli said.
The mayor also used this opportunity to indicate his displeasure at the conditions the residents are exposed to. He intends to create jobs and housing in the future.
According to the mayor, “We are here to share the festive cheer. It is not about what you get, it is the idea behind it as per the Bible. We therefore saw it fit to come here to Landfill with our guests to share the bread that was made available.”
He also indicated that the municipality, together with Sibanye Gold, has a project in the pipeline for housing and jobs with agricultural initiatives to alleviate poverty.
“We do not have to take you from one shack to another shack,” he said.
The Rand West City Local Municipality and the guests who accompanied the mayor would like to thank Nature’s Dream, a bakery from Roodepoort, for the donation of the bread.
• Details: Caroline Setsiba on 083 766 7763.
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