Watch: Uthingo Park residents want Premier to intervene

Being left in the dark, frustrated residents in eMalahleni, Uthingo Park in Tasbet Park vows to seek intervention from Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane in their struggle with ongoing water and electricity problems.

Neo Mabetwa who resides in the area said the problem started last year May, with endless engagement with the municipality to have their necessities fulfilled.

“Things are now difficult for us, we have water shortages whilst the country is also affected by the pandemic COVID-19 we are told we should constantly wash our hands to protect ourselves from being infected but that sound impossible for us because we have no water.”

Neo added that the distress has escalated to the hands of the Human Rights Commission earlier this year has found itself in court.

“When the commission intervened they ordered that we should get our lights and water back on, but that fell into deaf ears. They do as they please.”

Neo added that their predicament saw some of the residents resorting to getting solar panels and generators for power and buying water.

“People have lost hope; some now depend on their solar panels and generators for power because electricity does not even last for a while after it came back whilst for others, not at all. We feel that is a violation of our basic human rights to have access to water and electricity, we buy our water.”

Neo said the mayor Cllr Linah Malatjie on Friday, March 27, came to address the community about water and power dispositions in place, to resolve their deficiency in the area.

However, her response left residents in dissatisfactory.

“The mayor did avail herself to the Uthingo community, however, she has done nothing to assist, and yet she claims eMalahleni is ready and taking care of the people; we are leaderless. We got no mayor because she did not come here to resolve our problems but instead to listen to us weeping for electricity and water. What was she here for? It was clear she was not here to resolve our issues because she cares less.”

“If the mayor does not deliver her promises, we are no longer going to seek intervention from her; we will shoot straight to the premier, and jump all the procedures because the municipality does not help, we want water and electricity switched on,” he added.

Despite using prepaid electricity, Neo revealed that their frequent power and water cuts are an act of abuse of authority, greed and corruption from the CEO of Emalahleni Housing Company that “claims to own the houses we stay in, although they do not even have title deeds of any of the houses.”

“We are told to pay rent, hence the cuts, which leaves us in confusion because we are using prepaid electricity. The mayor confirmed that we do not have to pay for any services or whatsoever because we are on prepaid. However, she fails to provide answers to why the demand to pay rent on houses built by the government for the people? She drove all the way to tell us that our matter is in court and there is nothing she can do.”

Liaisons of the establishment responded in a statement that Emalahleni Housing Company is a fully accredited social housing institution that conducts its business in accordance with the law and in compliance with the regulatory framework of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA) as contemplated in the Social Housing Act no. 16 of 2008.

According to the statement, Uthingo Park is a social housing/affordable rental housing project and not a low-cost housing project which entitles beneficiaries to ownership.

The development is 18-years-old and has been under the management of EHC since inception.

The perception that is being created that the units can be handed over to people for ownership is far from the truth.

Uthingo Park was established with public funds (institutional subsidies) and must be managed by a fully accredited social housing institution as is the case currently.

Lease agreements signed by tenants upon occupation of the units are clear in terms of the rules and regulations governing social housing developments.

Tenants, who fail to pay their rent for any reason whatsoever, will be in breach of the lease agreement as contemplated in the Rental Act. of 1997; and EHC will have no choice but to exercise its rights in terms of the law including the termination of the lease agreements and the eviction of the tenants who refuse to pay rent.

EHC has been experiencing protest action and rental boycotts since September 2018.

The following, amongst others, is a list of damages incurred at Uthingo Park as a result of protest action by tenants: Electrical kiosks burnt, Mini substation vandalised, Main substation vandalised, Guardhouse burnt, illegal electricity connections, electricity cables have been destroyed so that paying tenants do not have electricity, cables to street lights have been cut, boom gates and CCTV cameras destroyed. Empty units have been broken into and unknown people allocated to stay in them.

“We have no knowledge of any court order or directive from the Human Rights Commission prohibiting us to take the necessary and lawful action against protestors. It is within our mandate to protect the rights of innocent tenants that are affected by the protest action who are being threatened daily by the protestors and have even been prevented from going to work and school on various occasions as protesters barricade the access control areas at Uthingo Park.People who are claiming to have their electricity switched off are those who have been found illegally connecting electricity. A circular was issued to tenants informing them to make arrangements for payment and to correct the situation. Tenants who came forward were attended to and are honouring their arrangements. The handfuls of tenants who behave as if they are victims are the ones that have boycotted rental and do not want to pay for electricity either. EHC has a responsibility to pay electricity, rates and taxes to the municipality and to deliver a service to tenants as per our mandate, and we are unable to do so if tenants do not, in turn, pay for electricity or rental.” read the statement.