Mlungisi squatter camp residents return to town hall after no response

ASKING QUESTIONS: The Mlungisi squatter camps committee recently met with EMLM about progress in the demarcation and allocation of sites. In the picture, members of the squatter camp committee, from left Bongiwe Msakatyana, Amanda Makapela, Happy Watson and Busiswe Bokwana                       Picture: NTSIKELELO QOYO

Irate Mlungisi informal settlement residents had to march to the town hall yet again after a reply to a memorandum were not forthcoming from the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM).

The residents had previously marched on the town hall to demand services be implemented for all informal areas in Mlungisi, The Rep reported (Suffering residents demand EMLM upgrade informal settlement areas, July 2).

Chairman of the Mlungisi squatter camp committee, Happy Watson, said failure by the EMLM to act on their memorandum had caused further discontent among the squatter camp dwellers.

After EMLM mayor, Luleka Gubula attended to gathered crowd they had a meeting with Enoch Mgijima portfolio head for human settlements and land development, Khangelwa Manzane, and her acting general manager, Unathi Galada,

At the meeting, EMLM committed to demarcation of sites currently occupied and registration of occupants. Report progress on the demarcations was set for the end of September.

Watson said they were happy with the outcome of the meeting. “All we want is development in our areas. We are not interested in fighting with the municipality, but rather working hand-in-hand with it. We understand the municipality is new, hence the challenges they are facing. All we want to do is assist them to get services to the people,” said Watson.

EMLM spokesperson, Lonwabo Kowa, said the municipality had begun the process of identifying sites for informal settlement dwellers as per the resolutions of the meeting.

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