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The City of Johannesburg has delivered six water tanks to the Nanas Farm informal settlement, two weeks after protesters blocked the N12 demanding water and toilets.
On 23 July, protesters blocked the road with bricks, rocks, wood and burning tyres.
Residents complained there was only one water tank in the settlement and six chemical toilets. Police said a minibus was torched and another vehicle damaged. Four people were arrested.
On 2 August, City officials visited Nanas Farm and held a meeting with the community. Gift Malapane, a member of the Citys Portfolio Committee on Environment and Infrastructure, promised that five additional tanks would be delivered by the weekend. He said the tanks would be maintained by Joburg Water.
He said the toilets issue would also be addressed, though he did not say when.
People have a right to dignity, to stay in a safe and healthy environment. They have rights to toilets. My dream is to see each and every house with a toilet even if its mobile toilets/ he said.
Communitys concerns about water provision
GroundUp asked if the officials were giving residents of Nanas Farm water because of upcoming by-elections in the ward on 11 September, prompted by the deployment of councillor Imraan Moosa (Al Jama-ah) to Parliament.
Malapane said: "We are here to make sure we render services and enhance peoples lives on the ground, not because of by-elections. By-elections will come and go; we are not here for that." |
