Residents are against city’s super-blocking
RESIDENTS of Imizamo Yethu’s most-affected by devastating fires in March are saying “no thank you” to the City’s plans for “super-blocking” within the Hout Bay informal settlement.
Despite bad weather yesterday, hundreds of residents from Madiba Square, the Shooting Range site, Petersen and Dontse’Yakhe marched to the Civic Centre. The City issued a permit for 2 000 people‚ arriving in a convoy of taxis to march from Keizersgracht to hand over a memorandum to City officials.
Community member Pamela Sosika, 44, said they were opposing the reblocking of the fire-ravaged areas because there was a greater need for basic services.
“We demand they stop this super-blocking because they must upgrade the area first, as we need water, electricity and toilets. Madiba Square is only 5% of the entire affected area, where it’s still not liveable and if that is super-blocking, then no thank you,” said Sosika.
She said the City had a week to respond to their demands, including the removal of controversial City official Loyiso Nkohla‚ who she claimed was dividing their community.
Community member Wiseman Nduna said the City held workshops but they were not involved.
Yesterday Mayor Patrica de Lille said that the City had switched on electricity in Madiba Square, at a cost of R6.75 million for the electrification of 181 dwellings.
De Lille said the project would result in the electrification of more than 2 100 households of which more than 80% would be new connections at a cost of R40m, as part of the City’s broad project to deliver services. The mayor’s spokesperson, Zara Nicholson, said a representative from their office accepted the memorandum.
“The issues raised in the memorandum about the delivery of basic services is precisely what the City is doing with the super-blocking project and we are making progress as can be seen from the statement issued earlier today (yesterday). The City and the mayor have invited the group who protested numerous times to be part of engagements so that they can be updated about the project to deliver the services that are asking for,” said Nicholson.