The Social Development MEC in the province, Boitumelo Moiloa, and various other stakeholders visited 12 destitute families who had been evicted by a court order.

According to departmental spokesperson, Petrus Siko, the visitation was followed by free food parcels being given to the 51 individuals occupying the community hall. He adds that the department has availed social support in the form of trauma counselling to the families.

The families will continue to be housed at the community hall provided by the JB Marks Local Municipality, Siko says.

Siko said, “Meetings are ongoing with regard to the plan around moving those people from the hall to other areas like RDP’s if they are available or new ones are being built. We don’t have that report for now.  It's only meetings that are planning around all those necessities.”

Siko says that the outcome of the visitation was merely to hear the families out and to assist them as much as possible.

Many stakeholders are involved in ongoing meetings, however, a consensus has yet to be reached, adds Siko.

Furthermore, a vast amount of meetings need to take place prior to the implementation of any contingency plans, says Siko. Stakeholders such as the municipality, various business affiliates along with different departments are expected to deliberate to ensure that adequate relief is provided to these families, Siko asserts.

OFM News/Lee Simmons