Latest news with #MerafongCityLocalMunicipality
The Citizen
10-07-2025
- The Citizen
Municipality halts youth-led land invasion in Khutsong South
The Merafong City Local Municipality has stepped in to stop a group of frustrated young people from occupying municipal land in Khutsong South. According to recent reports, the group had begun staking out more than 300 stands on an overgrown municipal sports field in the area, with plans to erect informal housing. The move was led by local youth leader Vusi Cele, who said the action followed years of frustration due to the lack of development and affordable housing for young people in the area. The young residents had already marked out plots and were preparing to build shacks when the municipality intervened. On June 30, the Merafong City Local Municipality issued a formal notice prohibiting any form of land invasion or illegal occupation on the property. Municipal Manager Dumisani Mabuza stated that all land invasions and unlawful land occupations are criminal offences under the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (1998). The municipality also urged residents to help combat illegal land grabs by reporting any such activities to the municipal call centre at 018 788 9990, via WhatsApp at 082 516 0794, or by email at [email protected]. Further action was taken on July 1, when the group received a draft court order officially prohibiting the continued occupation of the land. Despite the legal warning, Cele expressed the group's continued concern over housing shortages, emphasizing that young people in Khutsong South are desperate for solutions and development opportunities. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Welverdiend plunged into crisis as power outage sparks widespread protests
The Merafong City Local Municipality's failure to address a prolonged electricity outage has sparked growing outrage among residents of Welverdiend and surrounding communities, culminating in mass protests and road closures this week. Since June 29, thousands of residents in Welverdiend, Khutsong Extensions 5 and 6, and the Elijah Barayi Mega Housing Project have been left without electricity after yet another failure at the Frikkie van der Merwe Substation. According to the municipality, the substation's transformer tripped due to overloading caused by increased winter demand and also suffered an oil leak, requiring extensive factory repairs. Municipal Manager Dumisani Mabuza initially assured residents that a replacement transformer would be delivered by July 3, but the promised help never arrived. Instead, the municipality later stated the transformer would only be ready by Saturday. However, residents were again left disappointed when they were informed that the equipment was still being repaired. A new contractor was eventually appointed due to 'delays and quality concerns' with the original contractor, but the municipality could not provide a timeline for completion. Officials said they were now considering three options: rewinding an available transformer, completing the final touches on the repaired one, or sourcing a temporary unit from external partners. With no electricity and no clear answers, frustration boiled over. On Sunday morning, around 08:00, residents—many from communities not usually involved in protests—took to the streets, blocking the main road between Carletonville and Potchefstroom near the Welverdiend police station. Unconfirmed community reports claim that three residents who relied on electrical oxygen machines have died as a result of the blackout. Matters worsened on July 6 when a major water pipe burst in Welverdiend, leaving many residents without access to water as well. By Monday afternoon, all major entry roads into Welverdiend, including the busy R501 crossing near the Elijah Barayi housing complex, were blocked. Protesters, including many schoolchildren, also obstructed roads in Khutsong Extension 5 and even began blocking railway tracks. Amid the unrest, a controversial message began circulating that Mayor Nozuko Best had declared Welverdiend an 'unrest area', claiming it was too dangerous for municipal officials to enter. Senior police officers confirmed to the Herald that multiple attempts to get local ward councillors to address the crowds were unsuccessful. 'If the council did their work and didn't lie to us, none of this would be necessary. Lying to us all the time is criminal,' one angry resident posted on social media. As of Wednesday—more than 10 days into the outage—power had still not been restored, and residents had received no new updates on when relief might come. VF Plus councillor Ben van den Berg, himself a former Welverdiend resident, confirmed that his party had tried to engage Mayor Best for answers. A provincial VF Plus representative also contacted MEC for Cooperative Governance, Jacob Mamabolo, urging him to put pressure on the mayor to speed up the process. The Herald reached out to municipal communications manager Temba Fezani for further comment, but no response was received by the time of publication. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
25-06-2025
- The Citizen
Young residents to erect shacks on neglected Khutsong South sports field
Tensions are rising in Khutsong South Extension 4 after a group of young residents began occupying an abandoned sports field, planning to erect shacks in protest of housing shortages and municipal neglect. On June 19 and 20, around 200 young people took to the overgrown sports field—long neglected by the Merafong City Local Municipality—to measure out plots and begin establishing informal housing. According to Vusi Cele, one of the youth leaders, the move comes after years of frustration over the lack of development and affordable housing in the area. 'The municipality left the field to rot, and now we are forced to rent rooms we can't afford,' said Cele. 'Even worse, parts of the field were given to churches, taking away spaces we once used to play soccer as kids.' The group submitted a petition outlining their housing needs to the municipality on June 20, demanding intervention and support. According to the municipality's 2020/21 Integrated Development Plan (IDP), over R3 million had been allocated for the field's upgrade—but no work was ever done. However, not all community members support the move. Some local residents, including Mzwandile Maila, have raised safety concerns about the unauthorised occupation. 'Many of the occupants aren't even from Extension 4,' Maila claimed. 'They've declared that no one will remove them, and the situation is becoming tense. We fear for the security of our community.' Concerned residents have since called on the municipality to take action. By the time of publication, no intervention had taken place, and the municipality failed to respond to queries on the matter. The situation remains volatile, with both the newly settled youth and long-time residents awaiting a clear response from local authorities. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
15-05-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Khutsong sinkhole repaired but new hazard left behind by contractor
Khutsong, South Africa – May 2025 A municipal contractor has completed work on a massive sinkhole near Hlanganani Primary School in Khutsong — but instead of fully resolving the problem, the site has now been left with new safety hazards that put the community at risk. The Herald first reported in March that a contractor appointed by the Merafong City Local Municipality began filling the large sinkhole, which had caved in back in December 2021 due to a long-standing sewage leak. The site, located directly across from the primary school, has remained a source of public concern and controversy for years. Millions spent, yet new safety threat emerges According to municipal documents, the most recent 'refurbishment' project cost an additional R6 million, awarded to a local contractor. This follows a previous scandal, currently under Hawks investigation, in which almost R5 million was allegedly paid for work that was never completed. That case was opened in October 2024 and remains under investigation. Despite delays caused by heavy rain, the latest work was completed by 8 May 2025. However, when The Herald visited the site the next day, several new problems were evident. Gravel extraction leaves dangerous hole in nearby veld Roughly 500 metres from the repaired sinkhole, the contractor left behind a large excavation site where gravel was sourced for the fill. This gaping hole is not only a hazard to pedestrians, especially children walking through the veld, but it could also become a breeding ground for another sinkhole if water begins to collect there. Khutsong has seen over 10 sinkholes form in the vicinity of the school in the past 15 years, mostly due to water and sewage accumulating underground. Unfinished work poses danger to learners and residents In addition to the gravel pit, the sinkhole site was not properly levelled, raising concerns about erosion and accessibility. Even more alarming, The Herald observed that a manhole and stormwater drain next to the site remain wide open, posing serious risks to learners and passersby. These openings are so deep that someone could easily fall in, especially at night or in poor weather conditions. Silence from Merafong Municipality Despite inquiries sent on Monday, the Merafong City Local Municipality has not responded to questions about the unfinished work, the newly created hazards, or what steps will be taken to address them. Community calls for accountability With millions spent and the safety of schoolchildren at stake, local residents are demanding answers and accountability. The situation once again highlights the ongoing issues with municipal infrastructure, mismanagement, and the long-term risks posed by unchecked water and sewage leaks in dolomitic areas like Khutsong. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
