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The MEC of Human Settlements is shocked at the malicious accusation made by the DA Makashule Gana who accuses him of stoking the violence in Midvaal Local Municipality.

He said this is a demonstration of how low the DA can go in trying to save face when they find themselves out of depth when it comes to service delivery. “We don’t find it astonishing that the DA whose track record of servicing our people is very low”.

“It is startling that the DA would step so low to use malice, distortion of facts and spread misinformation instead of owning up to its failures” said Mashatile.

Mashatile said the department has a plan which has been working on to address the challenges of the destitute people under the DA led Midvaal council.

“It is not the department that promised people the land which has already been earmarked for development to be occupied, but rather DA’s failure to meet its promises and misleading people” he said

The MEC said these accusations are tantamount to undermining the work of government and progress made in developing the area.

He said that a year ago he visited the communities of Sicelo Shiceka, Mamello, Khayelitsha, Boitumelo and Pills Farm and told them that the department has five projects in the area that will yield over 3300 housing opportunities which will benefit them.

The following land was identified for development to benefit the above communities:

1. Erf 204 Meyerton Farms - construction of 308 fully subsidized houses
2. Erf 78 Meyerton Farms - construction of about 720 walk-up units
3. Erf 41, 52, 53 and 184 Meyerton Farms (known as Ext 4 & Ext 5 Sicelo Informal settlements)- upgrading of informal settlement that will yield about 842 housing units, of which 270 will be RDP top structures, and the remainder will be walk-up units.
4. Erf 72 Meyerton Farms - construction of about 700 walk-up units
5. Erf 56 Meyerton Farms will yield about 752 walk-up units,”

“In Sicelo Shiceka the Department is in the process to appoint a contractor to finalize the 45 houses. A further 720 houses are planned to commence with civil works in the next financial year,” he said.

Mashatile reiterated that the Gauteng government does not discriminate according to political parties when delivering services.

“This is the government of the people that was elected by the people of Gauteng. Therefore this government will not desert its people. Gauteng Government is committed to service deliver and to better the lives of its citizens” said Mashatile

He called on the communities of Sicelo Shiceka and surrounding areas to work and unite behind government to bring service delivery that will change their lives for better.

“Everyone is free to approach the regional offices and query about the progress in the development of their areas in terms of housing, rather than spreading lies without facts” said Mashatile.

The MEC said as government understand the frustrations of communities because it seems like the department was delaying, but work was happening in the area.
“Because we have not started building top structures, people might think we are not working and we are,” he said.

He said that the on top of the current engagement with the community the department will call for a community meeting and update the citizen on the progress made in projects.

Issued by the Gauteng Provincial Government