Picture: The residents at Blydeville worried about poor service delivery in their area/Generic
By OBAKENG MAJE
North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Nono Maloyi said they will upgrade the YizoYizo Informal Settlement in Rustenburg. Maloyi had a consultative engagement with the residents of Yizo Yizo Informal Settlements at Tlhabane Stadium (Open Space Parking) on 27 June 2023 to map the way forward.
“It is estimated that there might be over a thousand families living in the informal settlement that is located next to the industrial area in Tlhabane Township. The informal settlement was established more than 20 years ago. The department previously relocated over 600 residents to Seralemeng. However, a number of families continued to settle in Yizo Yizo.
“The department is going to resolve the Yizo Yizo situation with the necessary speed it requires due to the living conditions in the area. It’s been years since the people of Yizo Yizo have been living in such dire situations. I will personally monitor progress in the upgrading of this informal settlement,” he said.
Maloyi further said they need to build houses as soon as possible and restore the dignity of these residents because it is a constitutional mandate. He added that the North West Public Works and Roads and Rustenburg Local Municipality have availed land for human settlements development.
“The process must start immediately and young people should be employed to assist with verification of households and beneficiary administration. It is hogwash and absurd that intervention at Yizo Yizo is motivated by electioneering.
“I have been in government not more than a year and part of my key priorities when he assumed duty as the MEC was to ensure that services are delivered in local government. We have also prioritised the unblocking of blocked projects and ensuring that, legible beneficiaries receive habitable homes and the creation of sustainable Human Settlements in the province,” said Maloyi.
One of the residents, Anna Ditsebe said: “As residents, we have been asking the municipality to intervene and remedy the living conditions in the informal settlement, but to no fruition. So, today’s message was music to our ears and we are more hopeful now that the government is here.
“We will see much improvement in the areas and services will be rendered. We have been staying here for more than 20 years and we are optimistic that we will finally get houses and basic services rendered. It’s been a serious struggle, but now we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
The Guardian 