Dan Mdluli
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has on Tuesday, 23 March 2021, released a report which showed the poorest record of progress compared to the one Metro in the provision of basic services towards targeted poorer communities.The report, titled “Towards Ensuring the Right to Adequate Housing through the Upgrading of Informal Settlements” was noted by MEC for Human Settlements, Urban Planning and CoGTA, Lebogang Maile.Its broad trust was looking at the upgrading or formalisation of informal settlements located in the three Metros in Gauteng province.It was commissioned in lieu of Urban Settlement Development Grant (USDG) budgets given to three Metros in Gauteng namely the City of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni for the financial year 2020/2021.
MEC Maile will in the interim study the report, including its findings in order to formulate a workable plan for consideration by the Gauteng’s Executive Council (Exco).The report amongst others highlights uneven project targets not being met by Tshwane and Johannesburg. Ekurhuleni has demonstrated good progress in providing basic services.MEC Maile said the report was not only timely, but glaringly reflected their persistent concerns regarding spending patterns and service delivery records by their municipality.Gauteng has the highest number of informal settlements concentration as a result of in-migration and economic opportunities.Its government will use the report as an instrument to measure its strength and capabilities to meaningfully improve the conditions of communities living in informal settlements and accelerate the provision of basic services. Since 2016, in Gauteng alone, there has been an upsurge of informal settlements in Tshwane and Johannesburg, accompanied by illegal invasion of private and public owned land.
Maile has committed to feature the report in his monthly schedules with mayors in order to turn the situation around and find workable solutions.
“The findings of the report will more importantly invoke consciousness amongst public representatives to put aside their party affiliation in the best interest of our communities. Inevitably, our success and failures will be measured based on our actions post this report. We are confident acting collectively we can deliver on our constitutional mandate,” said Maile.
