Dire state of the Reiger Park flats under the ANC/EFF coalition
by Cllr Izelle Senol — DA PR Councillor in Ekurhuleni
Date: 08 February 2024
Release: Immediate
Type: Media statement
The DA notes with concern the dire state of the Reiger Park flats, after an oversight visit in which residents of the flats laid their problems bare.
The flats pose a disaster waiting to happen. Residents expressed concerns over their own safety due to the derelict state of infrastructure at the flats. Constantly having to contend with blocked sewage drains, frequent power outages and non-functional geysers have residents feeling hopeless.
Perhaps the most concerning feature of these Ekurhuleni-owned flats, is the fact that residents living on the upper levels of some of these flats have to brave going up and down stairs that are rusted to the point of that they are littered with holes.
The DA calls on the MMC of Human Settlements, Ald Masele Madihlaba, to address the issues in the Reiger Park flats and restore the dignity of the residents of these flats, many of whom are the elderly and children.
A further concern of the visit by the DA exposed that the prior night, while there was a fire, which had spread to the upper floor, there had been no fire extinguishers to stave off the blaze.
In written questions posed to MMC on the dire state of the flats, he admitted that only one hundred thousand Rand was allocated to the maintenance of the flats. He further conceded: “It becomes a challenge for the City to invest funds as there’s not much revenue generated.”
The DA rejects this response, as human life and dignity should outweigh the income-benefit of the City. The DA will be running a petition to ensure that residents are provided with adequate maintenance of their homes. Failing the demands of the residents in the flats, further action steps will be taken to escalate the matter.
Cllr Izelle Senol
DA PR Councillor in Ekurhuleni
063 448 0492
