MOST people who live in the shacks and the old hostel in Fleurhof are largely foreign nationals.
This is according to Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development Lebogang Maile.
The MEC revealed this during his visit to fire victims at Fleurhof informal settlements on Monday, 4 September.
This after their shacks caught fire on Sunday, 3 September, leaving two minors dead and 57 people displaced.
Maile assessed the situation by walking through the informal settlement and visited the hostel which has been converted into an informal settlement.
Speaking to the media, the MEC said: “We have seen that most of the people who are residing in the shacks and the old hostel are largely foreign nationals, meaning that we have a big problem as a country and we have to move quicker to deal with illegal immigrants because it is causing big problems,”
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Maile explained that it is not the first time those shacks burnt and most of the people who used to live there were relocated to flats but they rented out the flats and went back to staying there.
The MEC said the affected victims have been moved to a recreation centre.
He advised that people should stop invading land illegally and building shacks.
“We are informed that some of the shacks are owned by few individuals who rent them out and that’s another big problem all over the province,” he said.
Angry hostel resident Maletsatsi Mamogale said they need basic services.
“Where are we going to be moved? We don’t have water. There’s so much dust here. These shacks are the first shacks to ever exist here in Fleurhof."
Residents complained that they don’t have access to proper sanitation and do not want to be allocated other shacks because that leads to commotion.
“Some of us are not working. We live by selling to buy food,” said one of the residents.
