Squatters are becoming a municipal nigtmare

LEPHALALE - The housing backlog and insufficient transport for people living in and around Lephalale, Seleka and Shongoane have led to the rapid growth of an informal settlement in the shadow of Eskom’s Matimba power station.
The land belongs to Eskom, but since 2009 more and more shacks have been erected to a point where it is estimated that around 4000 people reside in the area without electricity, water or sanitation.
“This is a great challenge for the municipality,” says Strategic Manager, Khoroshi Motebele. “On the one hand we have people who have settled here illegally, something which we don’t want to encourage, but on the other hand
we have an obligation according to the constitution to ensure that people
have water and sanitation.”
According to Motebele the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) budgeted R70 million in the 2011/2012 book year for the building of 517 family units in Marapong. These two bedroom units will be available to rent and will benefit people who earn between R800 and R3500 a month. The municipality had to relocate 200 families from the land which is earmarked for the Coghsta units earlier this year and it is expected that building will commence in May 2013.
In the mean-time authorities are worried about the safety of especially children in the area. “We are cognisant of the fact that the settlement could lead to the contamination of groundwater and subsequently the outbreak of disease in the area,” Motebele told Northern News on Wednesday.
Divisional Head of housing, Mpo Lekoloane visited the area recently and is determined to find a solution to the problem. Some of the strategies being
considered is to appoint an informal settlement officer at the Municipality to deal with such issues. Without encouraging further illegal settlements the municipality will look into providing basic services where possible.
“We will also look into strategies to improve transport from Seleka and Shongoane, because a lot of these people have homes in these rural areas but
have to commute 70 km to town everyday using transport which is not always reliable. We need to make it viable for residents to stay in their primary homes instead of settling illegally in Marapong which is obviously much closer to their workplace.
Northern News visited the settlement recently and found children playing on rubbish dumps next to the settlement.
The DA plans to build a structure in the new year to provide shade and a place of safety for children during the day. “The idea is to give the children something to do and to keep them from harm’s way,” DA councillor, Astrid Basson, said.
Residents at the settlement is adamant that they are there to stay, but would like to see service delivery from the municipality. “We can’t live like this we walk very far to get water and have to dig our own toilets,” one complained.