BLYDEVILLE, NORTH WEST — As the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) launches a formal investigation into poor service delivery, residents of North West informal settlements are urgently calling on the government to formalize their communities. The probe aims to address the prolonged lack of basic amenities and the severe impact these conditions have on human rights across the province.
The crisis spans several areas under local municipal jurisdiction, including the Rustenburg and Bojanala district regions. Specific municipalities highlighted in the ongoing crisis include Ramotshere Moiloa and Ditsobotla. In these areas, informal settlements continue to expand, and residents are pleading with the government to formalize their neighborhoods to unlock adequate service delivery.
The lack of basic infrastructure has created a severe sanitation and living crisis. Residents report a critical shortage of water and a lack of in-home ablution facilities. Housing remains a massive challenge, forcing many to continue living in makeshift shacks. Sanitation is particularly dire; communities are still forced to rely on pit latrines and the degrading bucket system. Under the bucket system, residents are forced to use buckets inside their homes for human waste, which they must then manually carry and pour out into the open. Compounding these issues is a complete failure of basic waste collection services in these areas.
In Blydeville Extension 2 in Lichtenburg, which falls under the Ditsobotla municipality, the frustration is palpable. A local resident and community spokesperson, highlighted that his community has been waiting for approximately two years for any meaningful intervention.
Expressing deep frustration, he noted that there currently seems to be “no way forward” for the community. He emphasized that residents feel entirely neglected by the government. His primary plea is for government officials to visit the informal settlements and witness the dire conditions firsthand, rather than only taking action after the media arrives to speak with the residents.
The service delivery collapse comes at a critical political juncture. With elections just 32 days away, political parties are actively campaigning and making promises regarding the improvement of basic services like water and housing. However, residents remain deeply skeptical. Another local resident pointed to ongoing political instability, noting that while parties make alternative plans and promises during election seasons, the reality on the ground remains unchanged.
Despite holding onto a sliver of hope for proper housing in the future, the resident grimly assessed that, based on the current trajectory, they expect to remain stuck in these informal settlements for the next three to four years.
The South African Human Rights Commission has confirmed that its investigation will focus on uncovering the root causes of these prolonged delays. The commission is examining how the extended stay in informal settlements directly infringes upon the human rights of the residents. According to the community, whenever they attempt to seek answers or raise their grievances through official channels, they are met with inadequate responses, reinforcing their urgent call for immediate government intervention.
