Gomora residents fight removal of illegal electricity connections
DISGRUNTLED dwellers of Gomora informal settlement this week took to the streets after the City of Tshwane removed their illegal electricity connections in the area.
Human Settlements MMC Ofentse Madzebatela strongly condemned both acts of violence and illegal electricity connections.
Videos circulating on social media showed protesters using burning tyres to barricade the entrance to the settlement on Tuesday evening.
The SAPS and metro police officers monitored the protest to maintain law and order.
Two years ago, the Gomora residents in the west of Pretoria accused the City of failing to heed their service delivery demands, which included the installation of electricity.
Residents previously bitterly complained about a lack of ablution facilities and water supply.
In March this year, Madzebatela joined Coca-cola Beverages South Africa for the official opening of a borehole for Gomora.
This week, Madzebatela said the City had put plans in motion to address challenges at the informal settlement.
“Currently, the settlement receives electricity from the City and other rudimentary services through water tankers and chemical toilets, in the absence of engineering services in the area.
“Efforts to address this include the commissioning of a borehole service a few months ago and the building of a reservoir in Booysens that will ensure continued provision of clean drinking water to the area.” said.
Madzebatela said the City began with a relocation of 440 households to Booysens Ext 4 as part of addressing the housing challenges in Gomora and surrounding areas.
“We have also relocated 360 households from the Rand Water and Sasol pipeline servitudes to The Orchards Ext 110, where we are establishing a new township. The remaining group will be catered for in Andeon Ext 37,” he said.
The MMC said a contractor would be appointed soon, adding that the City has planned to start work at Ext 37 from July 1 this year. “We are also progressing well with Andeon Ext 46, and that will see a further 1 249 households being relocated soon,” he said.
The City was also looking at providing social housing initiatives as part of its plans to address the housing backlog.
“We are currently working on two new projects with a projected 2 000 units. The Sunnyside project will provide 400 units in the first phase and the Chantelle project will yield just over 1 100 units. This will help deal with the informal settlement challenges in Tshwane while also bringing people closer to economic opportunities,” Madzebatela said.
He further asked residents to refrain from invading land, saying it placed a heavy burden on the City’s resources and was unfair to other areas that had been waiting for services for a long time.
“We also wish to make it clear that the City condemns any acts of violence and illegal electricity connections. Such actions will be met with the contempt it deserves,” he said.