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Mooiplaas flood victims decry poor service delivery

Mooiplaas informal settlement resident Ephraim Lehlongo says the stands they were allocated by the City of Tshwane are too small.
Mooiplaas informal settlement resident Ephraim Lehlongo says the stands they were allocated by the City of Tshwane are too small.
Image: Supplied

Flood victims who were relocated to Mooiplaas in Tshwane have not had water delivered to the informal settlement after a municipal truck got stuck in the area 2 days ago.

Since then, many residents have not had water in their homes.

More than 1,000 residents who were affected by flash floods in Mamelodi and Nellmapius in December last year. Many of them lived near a river, which the City of Tshwane regarded as a danger zone, that would overflow during heavy rains.

They were relocated to Mooiplaas in May after spending about six months being housed in municipal buildings such as community halls while others were housed in churches.

They were placed in the area which doesn't have electricity and water infrastructure and rely on water delivered by municipal water tankers that are expected to do rounds regularly in the area.

On Wednesday, residents shared their frustrations about living in the settlement.

“We are forced to share 73 mobile toilets and our roads are muddy and when it rains, it becomes worse. Our stands are small and we can't build big houses.

“I don't know what I'm going to do without water cause the truck got stuck in front of my home,” said angry resident Easter Mohlamonyane.

She said there hasn't been any other truck sent to deliver water. When the Sowetan team arrived in the settlement on Wednesday, There was a truck stuck in the middle of the gravel road.

"I don't now where will I get water and I'm experiencing all sort of problems," said Mohlamonyane.

She said the City of Tshwane made lots of promise, including the allocation of bigger stands, flusing toilets, taps in their homes, refuse collection and proper roads.

“Instead, we got dumped [here] and [have been] forgotten.”

She said rubbish is not collected and there was now illegal dumping in the area and the mobile toilets are emptied only twice a week.

City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said they would look into the matter and respond.

“I wish to go back to where I was staying, it was better than where I am now,” said another resident Ephraim Lehlongo.

Lehlongo said his stand is so small and he can't even build 3 rooms and he doesn't now what to do with it.

He said transport is a problem because of the muddy road.

“The City of Tshwane brought us to a place that is not developed and is muddy. The trucks that delivery water don't come every day and it they don't come, it becomes a problem as we have to travel far to ask for water. 

“I want City of Tshwane to install water tanks in our area so that we can access water anytime because without tanks, some residents can't get water because some are at work when the truck comes,” said Lehlongo.

He said every time it rains, it's a nightmare because their shacks and roads get flooded.

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