15 hours ago
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.
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