City outlines plans to redevelop Zandspruit
23 September 2015
Ahigh-powered City of Johannesburg entourage slowly makes its way through the narrow pathways.
Members of the delegation – who include Chair of Chairs Councillor Solly Mogase, Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Infrastructure and Environmental Services Councillor Matshidiso Mfikoe, MMC for Development Planning Councillor Roslyn Greeff and Ward 114 Councillor Maureen Schnemann – navigate their way over puddles of smelly and dirty water, blocked drains and leaking water pipes.
Every few metres, they stop as the local councillor and community leaders point out the spots of bother.
This was the scene at the Zenzele section of the Zandspruit informal settlements on Monday September 21. The visit is part of the City’s Bua Le Sechaba (Talk to the Nation) campaign, which seeks to bring MMCs up to speed with the delivery of services in various informal settlements so corrective measures could be effected.
Similar visits were recently undertaken in Kya Sands and Diepsloot.
The Zandspruit informal settlement, which sprung up at the dawn of democracy in 1994, is overcrowded and has no toilets. Human waste is scattered everywhere in the settlement’s narrow, potholed streets. Illegal electricity connections are rife, with live wires hanging dangerously from shack to shack or lying perilously on the ground.
Crime in this 25 000-strong Region C settlement is rife and women are vulnerable. They live in fear of being robbed, raped or murdered. This is where the other half lives.
Thoko Mtshali watched as the entourage went past her home.
“There’s grey water running through the settlement and piles of rubbish lying all over the place,” says Mtshali. “We still don’t have electricity, despite years of promises.”
She was sceptical about the high-profile visit and wondered whether it had anything to do with the upcoming local government elections.
“We only see these politicians around election time. They have been here several times already this year and nothing has happened,” she said.
Councillor Mogase agreed with her.
“The government cannot continue making promises and not delivering services to the people. Councillors must represent the aspirations of the people. Electricity, water and environmental health issues have to be tackled,” Councillor Mogase said.
MMC Greeff said short-, medium- and long-term solutions were needed for Zandspruit.
“This was a depressing tour. We need real solutions. People should not be living like this. But things are about to change. There is an exciting housing project in the pipeline but right now we have to de-densify Zandspruit. We must be innovative in tackling sewage, illegal connections and inaccessible roads.
“The short-term plan is to make the environment liveable and address the blocked water pipes before it starts raining because if we don’t do that the shacks will be flooded.
“Children play in dirty water and that is a health hazard,” Cllr Greef said.
MMC Mfikoe said unpopular decisions would have to be taken to end illegal connections and residents would be educated on the value of recycling. She told officials of the Johannesburg Roads Agency, Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo and other municipal-owned entities to coordinate their action plans to deliver services.
“There is an opportunity for Jozi@Work packages to help with some of these issues. Locals should be involved. We need to empower cooperatives to clean up. Pikitup is ready. We need to work with the community to improve environmental health,” she said.
“Electricity is the biggest challenge in Zandspruit and we are putting together a combination of off-grid power sources that include solar geysers, LED lights and regular electricity. If we find a company that can do all this, we will be back here soon to consult residents about this off-grid project,” MMC Mfikoe said.
She said this would also save the City a lot of money.
“We have a budget of R240-million for all informal settlements, and that is not enough. For example, Eskom says it can only electrify 206 of the 1 000 houses in the Reception Area.”
The visit was part of the City’s Bua Le Sechaba (Talk to the Nation) campaign, which seeks to bring MMCs up to speed with the delivery of services in various informal settlements so corrective measures could be effected. Similar visits were recently undertaken in Kya Sands and Diepsloot.
Schnemann said she was happy that three of the eight most pressing issues she had been raising for many years were finally being tackled. She was hopeful that drug and alcohol abuse, unemployment and the lack of housing, recreational facilities and other community development issues would be attended to as well.
Regional Director Mlamleli Belot was given two weeks to come up with an action plan to deal with the grey water and broken pipes, tackle the dangerous illegal electricity connections and improve access roads to allow ambulances and workmen to attend to emergencies.