OUR HOUSES WERE SOLD ’
Council is corrupt, say residents Residents say R11m loos plan just talk
RESIDENTS of Winnie Mandela informal settlement on the East Rand told Ekurhuleni mayor Mondli Gungubele that they are no longer begging but demand proper sanitation.
Angry residents, who for years had demanded a meeting with Gungubele and other officials from Gauteng and national levels of government, told Gungubele at a meeting the mayor attended on Sunday that they knew their houses had been sold through corruption.
In an open letter addressed to Gungubele, which was read on Sunday, the residents said: “We as the community, demand our houses in Esselen Park and Tswelopele and Winnie Mandela. We have all the evidence that shows our houses have been sold.” structure that will be used by many people as public toilets. Each and every family must have its own toilet,” the letter reads.
Gungubele committed that he would look into the issues raised in the letter, and would hold a meeting with community leaders within two weeks. He said he wanted to see progress within two months on issues which the metro council could handle.
Community leader Tsietsi Kukame said: “We are happy that the mayor came today. We have wanted government ’ s attention on these issues for the past 19 years and no one has listened to us.
“We are happy that he has committed to look into our grievances.” –
The battle with residents has been raging on for years after accusations that ward councillors sold their RDP stands and houses to people who did not qualify.
The matter drew the attention of former president Thabo Mbeki, who commissioned the Special Investigating Unit to investigate. The findings have not been made public, seven years after the investigation was instituted.
The residents also demanded proper sanitation. They said they used communal pit toilets, that are now full and they had nowhere to relieve themselves.
“Now we not begging, we demand proper sanitation. We are no longer in need of chemical toilets or any