Service delivery on a roll in Zandspruit, Cosmo City
11 April 2017
The City of Johannesburg’s Region C Director, Mlamleli Belot, at the weekend brought residents of Cosmo City and Zandspruit up to speed with a number of service delivery projects being undertaken or are in the pipeline in their respective areas.
Addressing a peaceful Integrated Development Plan (IDP) review at the Cosmo City Multipurpose Centre on Saturday April 8, Belot said the construction of a fire station in Cosmo City, previously identified by residents as a crucial need, was 50% complete, while the process to acquire land to build a clinic was well under way.
“There are discussions between the Department of Health and Johannesburg Property Company. The parties are currently finalising the issue of the area where they can procure the land. Once that process is concluded, the building of the facility will commence,” Belot told the residents.
Some of the concerns raised during the peaceful meeting included the lack of a youth skills advisory centre and other community facilities, unemployment, illegal dumping and the lack of economic development opportunities.
Belot also informed residents of a number of upcoming developments that would be incorporated into the IDP.
Speaking during an interview in his office on Monday April 10, Belot said the throwing of “just about anything” into the drainage system was a major concern for the City.
“You find people disposing of used pads, diapers and animal skins into the drains. This abuse of the sewer system is the reason there are recurring blockages. Johannesburg Water is currently upgrading the infrastructure across the City, which will eventually resolve this problem,” Belot added.
He said Pikitup, the City’s waste management entity, had employed three cooperatives to deal with illegal dumping and other waste collection challenges in Zandspruit. The cooperatives had, in turn, created 96 job opportunities among the locals.
On housing in Zandspruit, Belot said the City’s Housing Department was finalising a plan for a township development on a number of land parcels in the area. “The community understands, however,, that this may be a long process,” he said.
“Some of the issues that communities of both Cosmo City and Zandspruit said needed urgent attention included sport fields. This can easily be achieved without waiting for the next financial year,” he said.
Belot said residents were also unhappy about issues they had been complaining about for many years, including crime. “The JMPD is going to have additional resources to deal with crime. We’ve told residents the City is indeed responding to their needs,” he said.