City’s nine squatter camps have been upgraded – Polokwane Mayor
Despite the effort, the city's development seems to be moving at a far greater rate as more squatter camps have emerged in the last decade.
POLOKWANE – Mayor John Mpe announced that all nine squatter camps in the municipal area have been upgraded into formal settlements in the form of RDP houses.
Earmarking money for the 2023/24 financial year during the State of the City address at the Jack Botes last Wednesday, Mpe said all residents of Tosca City, Mashinini, Mohlakaneng, Zone 6 phase 1, Freedom Park, Lepakeng, Greenside, Emdo Park and Disteneng were either moved to formal settlements or RDP houses were built in their own yards.
On top of that, 617 households were electrified to cover half of Extension 78 during the 2019/20 financial year.
A total of 440 more households received electricity in the next year, he said.
In the coming financial year, 455 more households in Ext 133 await electrification, with the project sitting on 61% completion on the day of the address, he stated.
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Although the effort stands, the city’s development seems to be moving at a far greater rate as more squatter camps have emerged in the last decade, with Ext 78 and Ext 133 being among some most recently.
In his address, Mpe said the Municipal Planning Tribunal approved a mixed-use housing development to cater for a high density social housing model, known as Kingdom Park, to be located along the Matlala Road.
“The new township is established at Portion 150 and 160 of the farm Sterkloop. This is part of our programme to grow Polokwane in all directions. This is one of the flagship developments which will directly deal with housing backlog in the city. We will use a corridor approach in Polokwane so that it is not only development on the sides of Bendor or toward the R81, but formalised settlements along the R71.”
Some of the affected squatters who listened to Mpe on the day of the address said they wished to be included.
“Life is complicated when you have to look over your shoulder in fear of an excavator destroying your shack while you’re at work as though you are a foreign species in your own country,” said Rosemary Mapheto, a squatter from Ext 133.
“We just hope that no corruption takes place and that our names are considered at the municipal housing section when RDP houses are built in this financial year,” she said.
