Housing project leaves pensioner in an unpleasing shack
‘We vote but we see no changes.’
As the 2021 Local Government Elections nears, issues of service deliver continue to be under the spotlight across Soweto.
Residents of Tladi Informal Settlement say they are tired of politicians who always make empty promises during election time and disappear after voting. When the Democratic Alliance (DA) visited the area to campaign a few weeks ago, furious residents made it clear that they will not tolerate politicians who take advantage of them.
A housing project is currently underway in the area and residents said they don’t want it disrupted or delayed by politicians campaigning for votes. Even though the project is expected to bring much-needed relief to the people of Tladi, it has become a nightmare for a pensioner, Agnes Leolo.
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Her house was demolished to make way for a new road which is currently under construction in the area. According to Leolo, the contractor told her that her house had been built where it is supposed to be a road, according to town planning.
While she wait for her new RDP house, the pensioner has to share a small shack with four of her family members and the housing project is expected to be completed after two years.
“The shack has no windows, no water, and no electricity and it is surrounded by chemical toilets. My health is not good at all and it is a hassle for us to fetch water as we have to walk long distances. We have been living here for more than 40 years and yet we are still suffering. We vote but we see no changes in terms of service delivery,” Leolo said.
Leolo is one of many residents of the informal settlement who are living under difficult conditions due to a lack of service delivery. Clean water, sanitation, and housing are some of the urgent service delivery issues that need urgent attention for Tladi Informal Settlement.
“I now have to stay in this situation with my husband and my two children. It is a struggle because my 39-year-year-old daughter is mentally challenged and none of us are working, we depend on social and disability grants,” added Leolo.
The City of Johannesburg’s Department of Housing did it respond to questions.
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