By The Deputy President of South Africa Mr Paul Mashatile has given the Free State Provincial Government a pat on the back for the progress made in the 9/11 Jagersfontein disaster.
The Free State Premier Ms MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae, flanked by her MECs, the Mayor for Kopanong Local Municipality Cllr Xolani Tseletsele and Jagersfontein Development Project handed over 106 newly built houses to the victims of the disaster in Jagersfonteinn.
On the morning of 11 September 2022, residents woke up to a loud bursting sound from a nearby dam belonging to Jagersfontein Holdings, previously owned by De Beers. The sludge from the dam made its way towards the community destroying a number of homes, livestock and basically affecting any economic activity in the area including teaching and learning.
The residents were then accommodated in temporary homes while the government and Jagersfontein Development Project resolve the problem.
On Wednesday, 14 August 2024, the Premier and Jagersfontein Development Project handed over houses to the affected residents.
Reacting to this, Mashatile commended the provincial government and stakeholders for the progress made. He further expressed appreciation to all key role players, on progress achieved and also thanked the management of the Jagersfontein Development project in particular, for delivering on their promise to urgently build houses, for the affected community members.
“The remarkable progress we continue to make brings us closer towards restoring better living conditions for the people of Jagersfontein. Such progress bears testimony that working together through partnership between government and the private sector, we can create a better life for all our citizens,” said Deputy President Mashatile.
According to the Act Spokesperson to the Deputy President Mr Keith Khoza, Deputy President Mashatile has been delegated the responsibility to provide leadership in the implementation of rapid response interventions on service delivery and trouble-shooting in service delivery hotspots in the country, by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Khoza said in pursuit of this critical mandate, the Deputy President undertook a service delivery oversight visit to Jagersfontein, last year in May, as part of efforts towards finding a lasting solution to service delivery challenges in the municipality, with specific focus on the efficient and equitable supply of water, and the resettlement of community members affected by the Jagersfontein Development Project dam disaster.
He said the visit by Mashatile brought together various role players such, as government, private sector as well as civil society representatives, to deliberate on various mechanisms aimed at improving the functioning of municipality and in particular, on efforts to address the concerns raised by the community of Jagersfontein.
