The Ward 97 deputy chairperson of the ANC, Lebo Mofokane, has hailed the Chapter 9 institutions, namely the Human Rights Commission and Public Protector’s office for prioritising the basic needs for people living on Plot 323 in Wilgespruit.
The tented dwellers have been living in harsh conditions after they were evicted in 2017. Although low-cost housing is in the pipeline for them at an earmarked plot nearby, these dwellers still battle with health care services and other necessities. This drove the call to involve the Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who conducted a site visit and promised to intervene where she could.
According to Mofokane, who viewed these Chapter 9 institutions as the epitome of the Batho Pele principles, they are headed in the right direction.
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“The two institutions’ response to the community call for intervention is second to none. It was almost inconceivable how both the Human Rights Commission and the Public Protector SA prioritised the community’s complaint and swiftly convened all the identified government departments to account for their actions. It took less than a month to get the City of Johannesburg, in particular, running around to find solutions for the people of the plots of Ward 97,” he said.
He added that the intervention by Mkhwebane, in particular, was yielding positive results following her visit in August.
“On 11 November, we marked history in action in Ward 97, when the first public service was offered in this ward in the form of a mobile clinic. This clinic is permanently deployed in this ward and will be stationed on Plot 323 every Mondays except for public holidays,” he explained.
He also discussed more promises made to Plot 323. “The Gauteng Community Safety Department led by Mr Kloppers has promised to erect a fence around Plot 323 in order to minimise criminal activities in and around the plot, among other things. The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) led by Mr Matlou is working on a plan to provide regular services to the residents. They have so far identified indigent households within the plots and are providing food parcels to them. Home Affairs has begun to visit them to assist people who lost their IDs and birth certificates during the evictions and also assist with other related applications,” Mafokane explained.
“We have no shadow of a doubt that, at this rate and with the assistance of the Public Protector and the HRC, freedom is coming tomorrow. The residents of the plots will close 2019 on a high note and have a prosperous 2020,” he said, concluding that that he wants all the children on the plot to be at school in the future.
