A HOUSING development meant to benefit residents of Delmore informal settlement in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni and surrounding areas has been left idle with no show of houses.
Residents said they are tired of empty promises.
They said nine years later, there are no RDP houses, but only toilets with solar geysers on top which have now turned into thugs' hiding base.
Daily Sun visited the area on Wednesday, 12 July, and spoke to devastated residents who said they're tired of empty promises.
Thembisile Yawa said she has been living in the area since 1996.
She said the government officials took their identity documents to register them for housing purposes.
“There is no housing development but only small toilets, which cater to one room for each resident.
“We have children, and how can we live with them in one room? We also have cars that we are using to hustle because we're jobless,” Thembisile said.
She called on ANC general-secretary Fikile Mbalula to come and see the disgraceful place they live in.
“This place is not for humans to live. Mbalula always talks about fighting corruption.
“He must come here to see the condition we are living in,” Thembisile said.
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Another resident, Funiwe Sokhanyile, said she has been living in the area for 20 years.
“I was moved from my previous shack and told we would get houses, but now things have changed.
"They told us we must come and build shacks near these toilets," Funiwe said.
She said she lives with her children in her shack and can’t stay in one room with her son.
“Where will I bath if I live with my son in the one room? My son has no place to live. The government must build a better house for us.
“We are tired of empty promises. The government must deliver service to us,” Funiwe said.
Another resident, Glaman Ntulini, said the toilets were built in 2014, and thugs have turned the place into a crime hot spot.
“Residents were moved to the waiting area when the project started and promised they would get houses.
“We have been waiting, but sadly no developments are happening except these idling toilets,” Glaman said.
Ekurhuleni Metro spokesman Zweli Dlamini said the project started in 2016.
“The city has submitted a project pipeline to the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements (GDHS) to secure funding.
“The Delmore project forms part of the submitted project pipeline. Upon the approval of the funding application and gazetting of funds, the city will commence with the construction of the houses in the Delmore project,” he said.
