Update
GEORGE NEWS - Earlier today, the George Municipality issued a statement stating that extensive damage was caused to municipal infrastructure during last week’s protest.
There is currently no funding on the budget to rectify these damages apart from following the insurance route.
Municipal spokesperson Chantel Edwards-Klose said the Civil Engineering Department is assessing damage to roads as well as the two intersections at Nelson Mandela Boulevard and Main Street.
“The electrical infrastructure such as traffic lights, at the intersection at Nelson Mandela Boulevard and Thomas Street has minor damages. Quotations have been called to determine the cost of the damages in order for the municipality to source funding for replacement.”
Edwards-Klose added that the Community Services Department has already commenced with routine service delivery duties which include the removal of refuse at residential areas and businesses. “Dumping sites and where the community dumped refuse as part of their protest actions are being cleared continuously.”
“The George Municipality, in conjunction with the Department of Human Settlements, is in the process of profiling and surveying all the beneficiaries residing in Mandela Village informal settlement, as well as all the other settlements which have emerged as a result of illegal invasions (6 newly established informal settlements). The reason for the survey is to determine how many beneficiaries are residing in the different settlements in order for the municipality to determine and plan the level of basic services, i.e. water and sanitation, to be implemented in these settlements. There are currently no basic services in the following informal settlements: France, Mandela Village, Dameni, Dube, Telkom and Steybi-Teybi informal settlements. The municipality provided basic services at all its other informal settlements in Thembalethu in accordance with the ratios set by National Government or better. The UISP programme currently aims at providing services at a ratio of 1:1 in four phases to approximately 4 350 beneficiaries.”
She said a sum of R1-million rand had already been made available for the electrification of newly established informal areas. “Equipment to the value of R612 535 have been installed and the contractor is still on site and continuing with the electrification processes. A layout plan is in the process of being developed which will include access roads for emergency services and water and sanitation points within the settlement.”
The number of water and sanitation facilities to be provided depends on the capacity of the existing infrastructure (sewer, water and capacity of the Outeniqua Waste Water Treatment Works). “The municipality is engaging with the committees regarding the provision and roll-out of basic services in these settlements.”
Read previous articles:
- Protest suspects released
- Thembalethu protest: 21 in court
- Reason for Thembalethu protest unknown
- Gutted in protests
- Thembalethu: Situation remains tense
- Latest: Riots in Thembalethu
- 8 Arrested for public violence
- Riots: N2 remains closed
- Update: Thembalethu riots
- Riots: 2 Trucks petrol bombed
- Rioting in Thembalethu
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