More than R100million will be spent on improving basic services for and providing emergency assistance to people in need at informal settlements inEkurhuleni.

More than R100million will be spent on improving basic services for and providing emergency assistance to people in need at informal settlements inEkurhuleni.

Ndosi Shongwe, a member of the municipality's mayoral housing committee, said yesterday: "People living in settlements also deserve to be taken care of.

"It is our responsibility as government to ensure that they are provided with certain basic services since they form a huge part of our society."

Money would be allocated for the provision of access roads and other basic services, he said.

From the beginning of the 2009-10 financial year, starting in July, the municipality would provide more than R100million.

This would be used to provide one chemical toilet for every 10 residents. A further R17million would be set aside for solid waste removal and R17,5million for the continuation of the roll-out of access roads, municipal spokes-man Zweli Dlamini said.

Many of the informal settlements exist because they are industrial hubs to which many people migrate to seek job opportunities. - Sapa