Press release: Declaring Merafong a disaster area: Actual change this time, or another castle built?

Democratic Alliance Media Release

Declaring Merafong a disaster area: Actual change this time, or another castle built on sand?

by Ina Cilliers MPL - DA Constituency Head for Merafong

and Carl Steenekamp - DA Candidate, Ward 17 Merafong

Date: 5 October 2021 Release: Immediate Type: Press release

The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes the West Rand District Municipality’s (WRDM) decision on 30 September to declare Merafong a disaster area relating to the sinkhole problem in the area, which has plagued the community since at least the past 50 years.

Community members have been enduring unsafe living conditions due to sinkholes forming when water leaks are left unattended.

The DA welcomes the decision, as immediate action is needed to take place – but will actual change come around this time, or is this just another castle built on sand?

In the past 5 years, the area has been declared a disaster area at least 3 times, with the Merafong Local Municipality receiving millions worth of disaster relief packages for each time. The last time Merafong has been declared a disaster area, was in 2017 where the Gauteng Provincial Government granted the municipality a R118-million disaster relief package.

To date, much of the infrastructure affected by the sinkholes has still not been fixed, and only three of the five major sinkholes that were meant to be filled, have been sufficiently rehabilitated.

The DA also notes with concern the administration of the R5 billion that will be granted by the WRDM to the Merafong Local Municipality as part of its disaster relief grant – taking into consideration previous counts of maladministration of such grants by Merafong officials and the extremely poor delivery track record of the Municiality in general.

The expenditure of the R5 billion grant, should it materialise, must be closely monitored to ensure complaince with all the applicable regulations and that the communities affected experience a tangible improvement in their living conditions.

Should the DA form part of a governing coalition after 1 November elections, we will be in a position to bring our brand of good governance and getting things done to the optimal expenditure of this disaster relief grant that makes an actual difference in the lives of people.

Media enquiries:

Ina Cilliers MPL DA Constituency Head - Merafong 060 556 4344

Carl Steenekamp DA Candidate, Ward 17 Merafong 072 535 6517