Botched housing development in Marble Hall poses unsafe conditions for residents

by Councillor Flip Jacobs – DA Caucus Leader for Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality

Earlier this week, Democratic Alliance (DA) ward councillor, Flip Jacobs, barricaded large ditches of an incomplete storm water project in Extension 6 to warn residents of the potential danger.

These ditches are the result of the collapsing storm water drainage system and part of the basic municipal services needed for housing development, which is now just abandoned.

Furthermore, the protracted court battle and the ultimate judgment resulted in a stalemate for the development.

The judgement handed down on 4 April 2019 confirmed that the Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality did not comply with relevant legislation governing the disposal of municipal properties and the transactions were declared constitutionally invalid.

This piecemeal development has left residents who bought properties there frustrated.

The municipality further decided that the service provider is now no longer required to provide the minimum level of basic municipal services, but now the project has come to a dead halt.

The municipality cannot sign off the clearance certificate because of the lack of services installed and title deeds can therefore not be issued.

The DA is concerned that not only did the incompetence of municipal officials botched a low-cost housing development, but that incomplete storm water drainage systems are now posing safety risks for the residents of extension 6.

Despite numerous emails and phone calls to the Director and Managers of the Infrastructure department at Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality, our requests for a progress report on the development and safety concerns fell on deaf ears.

This is an example of why we are urging you to rethink your vote on 1 November 2021 and to vote DA. Where the DA governs, we get things done.

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