Central SA
Concerns over progress in rebuilding Jagersfontein homes─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 06:40 Tue, 22 Nov 2022
Residents of Jagersfontein have raised concerns over the slow progress made in rebuilding their homes that were destroyed by a mudslide on 11 September 2022.
Speaking to OFM News, one of the victims affected by the floods, Tshepiso Ngubeni, said that residents are frustrated because they expected that the construction of houses in Charlesville would have commenced by now.
Ngubeni said that victims of the mudslide have now taken different routes in dealing with the incident. Some victims, including himself, have decided to get a legal representative, while others have decided to seek assistance from the mine.
Ngubeni alleged that there are issues with the alternative accommodations that have been offered to some of the victims.
ALSO READ: #JagersfonteinDisaster victims talk about their traumatic experience
"The temporary accommodation itself is a challenge because people who have given temporary accommodation to us, the affected, are having problems getting paid by the mine.
"We hope that will be fixed soon enough so that we can have an easy Christmas, because it will make for much better sleep knowing that you are still safe in that house for tomorrow," he said.
ALSO READ: Free State Premier to shower Kopanong residents with food hampers - WATCH
Ngubeni previously said that he hoped that the government would bring back normalcy to Charlesville. This was during a visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa, days after the disaster.
The Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela, together with Gift of the Givers, recently visited the small town to hand over food parcels to the victims of the mudslide.
ALSO READ: Criminal case opened against JDP mine - WATCH
Ntombela promised that she will be donating more food as an early Christmas gift to residents of the Kopanong Local minicipality.
On 4 November 2022, the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo, opened a criminal case against the Jagersfontein mine after the mine had failed to comply or take certain actions.
ALSO READ: Jagersfontein mine hopes to resume operations - WATCH
A mine stakeholder, Billy Bilankulu, recently told OFM News that they are pleased with the progress of rehabilitating the environment following the disaster on 11 September 2022.
