Makause informal settlement - Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality - application of Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (UISP) - Johannesburg High Court

There are approximately 10 000 people living at the Makause informal settlement, located in Primrose, Germiston on the East Rand. The residents share two functioning taps between them and five other makeshift water connections. They have no access to formal sanitation and there is no coherent programme of refuse removal at the settlement.

In 2007, the residents of Makause established the Makause Community Development Forum through which they have attempted to engage with Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) regarding access to adequate housing, provision of basic services and the upgrading of Makause. To date, very little has come of these efforts hence the Forum approached SERI to assist.

SERI is bringing an application in the Johannesburg High Court to review the municipality’s failure to take a decision to make an application to the Gauteng provincial government for funding to upgrade Makause in terms of the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (UISP), which is contained in the National Housing Code. SERI wants the municipality to make such an application and to provide the residents of Makause with access to basic water, sanitation and refuse removal services until the settlement has been upgraded, or formal housing has been provided to the residents through other means.

SERI is currently negotiating with EMM to install solar energy panels at Makause while the community waits for reblocking and upgrading to take place.

• Notice of motion and founding affidavit (1 June 2012) here.