South Africa: On Monday, 10 October 2022, Premier Sefora Ntombela, accompanied by officials from the Office of the Premier, visited MK Square Informal Settlement, Ward 13 in Mangaung.
The Premier was given a tour of the area, which has 451 shacks, 153 of which are occupied. The Premier raised concern that the unoccupied shacks could be used for criminality, a view also shared by residents of the area.
Premier Ntombela lamented the deplorable state of the area and gave a directive for immediate intervention in the area.
Water tankers and mobile toilets have been dispatched to the area to offer relief and assistance to residents.
A meeting with Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality will be held soon to address the challenges that residents are subjected to, but also to discuss the possibility of relocating them to a new formalized area.
“We have agreed that water tankers must be sent to the area today, 10 October. The residents informed us that, because of the lack of water, they are forced to buy water from neighbouring areas. The lack of sanitation is also of great concern to us, and that is why we immediately requested that mobile toilets be sent to the area.
In our manifesto, the governing party, which I belong to, made the following commitment: “The ANC will upgrade informal settlements and ensure communities are located on well-situated land.”
Guided by this pledge, we once again recommit to all our communities facing similar challenges that the Free State Provincial Government will do everything to transform their lives for the better,” said Premier Ntombela.