Marikana residents march to deliver memorandum
THEY WANTED THE CITY TO EXPLAIN THE LACK OF DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR SETTLEMENT
MARIKANA informal settlement residents in Philippi East marched to the Civic Centre in the city to hand over a memorandum of demands. They said they wanted the City to explain the lack of development of their informal settlement.
They felt the City neglected them, march organiser Joseph Makeleni said.
“The march is about the follow-up on the services promised by the City last year in the meeting we had.
“This is why we came to hand over our grievances. We feel like it is too long now.”
Their demands included an upgrade of Protea Road, proper street lighting, electricity, re-blocking, and sanitation in their area.
Mayco member Xanthea Limberg accepted the memorandum and said Marikana was part of an illegal land invasion on private property and the subject of a pending court case.
“The City conducted a site visit on Monday (yesterday) and can confirm that services in the area are functioning.
“These services include portable toilets, standpipe taps and a fully-serviced refuse collection operation.
“The City is also providing sandbags to assist with flooding in the area and has been in constant contact with the leadership of Marikana informal settlement,” said Limberg
The City is in the process of erecting high mast lights on City-owned land on the boundary of the settlement along Sheffield Road, she said.
Given that light masts could legally be installed on privately-owned land, the City would erect five 30m-high mast lights as agreed with the community, she said. –