Kliptown residents march for houses
Housing is still a major issue for one of the country’s oldest informal settlement.
More than 500 residents participated in the march which started from Kliptown to the office of the premier in down town Johannesburg.
According to the community leader who was driving the march Sandile Mqhayi the memorandum was received by Vulindlela Mavundla.
Mavundla was representing the MEC for Human Settlements, Jacob Mamabolo.
“As residents we decided to visit the premier and the MEC for Human Settlements to ask them when are they planning to develop our area.
“RDP houses are being built in other areas but nothing is happening in ours. This place is a tourist attraction because of the history it holds but we feel that it has been neglected by our government,” said Mqhayi.
After the memorandum was received by the department, it was decided that a meeting between residents and the department will be set up to discuss a way forward.
Among other things residents are complaining about is that some of them have been on the waiting list for houses since 1996.
Mqhayi said they have been trying to engage with the provincial government about the issue of housing in Kliptown since 2012 but nothing has happened.
In July the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Parks Tau launched the Kliptown Development Project.
Under the project, the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication was revamped and is now known as the Freedom Charter Garden.
Residents complain that development is focused on one place which is the Freedom Charter Garden, where the Freedom Charter was adopted 60 years ago.
The Department of Human Settlements could not be reached for comment.
