On Monday 20th August 2018; the MMC of Economic Development, Cllr Leah Knott, joined by City of Joburg officials from all departments, Regional Director Mlamleli Belot and various Councillors visited informal settlement around the Roodepoort area to figure out ways of improving service delivery to these marginalized communities.
The oversight visit covered Wards 127 and 128 consisting of places such as Solplaatjie Informal Settlement, Tswelopele and Thulamtwana in Tshepisong West, iVivo Informal Settlement and Matholesville – Roodepoort.
The MMC says the City will adopt a multi-disciplinary approach in tackling challenges highlighted by communities, including illegal mining, community safety, delayed township proclamations and illegal dumping.
“We will adopt an inter-departmental as well as an inter-governmental approach to resolving these issues. These are challenges that don’t only affect one specific department,” says MMC Knott.
There are also cross-border issues that cannot be ignored, says MMC Knott, and if all departments worked together in addressing them, it will be easy to track and monitor progress.
During the visit MMC Knott noted concerns raised by Councillors on behalf of the community and she provided guidance on how the City could help.
Key issues highlighted included the:
• Illegal mining activity taking place in Matholesville which is located directly above gas and fuel lines which feed various parts of the City. A joint discussion with Sasol, Gautrans, Transnet and the City will be initiated to address this issue on an urgent basis.
• The unsafe state of Sol Plaatjies which is experiencing large sink holes due to the settlement being located on un-rehabilitated mining land. We met with DMR on site, who have been working with the Ward Councillor, and who require City support in addressing issues with organisations who object to people being moved. This will be addressed going forward.
• Pending proclamation from 2012/13 of upgraded settlements which will be escalated to Development Planning via Housing for fast tracking.
• Excessive refuse dumping in various areas which will be addressed via awareness and clean up campaigns. Pikitup were praised in terms of the collections that have been initiated in areas making them fully serviced communities in terms of refuse collection. There remain issues on the border of Mogale Municipality which require cross municipal collaboration as well as private land issues which will be addressed with the owners.
“Most queries are recorded but it is imperative for us to get on the ground to physically see the state of peoples’ concerns which will give us all a sense of the realities they face.” says MMC Knott.
The City is keen to continue working together to ensure that we deliver on the principles of Diphetogo entrenched through the Mayor’s 10 point plan.
These oversight visits continue to help the City track the nature and progress of queries and apply viable solutions. Immediate decisions have been made to help jump start some of the tasks that need to take place in addressing issues that were raised with all matters being tracked through the Visible Service Delivery Committee chaired by the Executive Mayor on a monthly basis.
