Speaker, the Zevenfontein informal settlement has been in existence since the late 1980s. Zevenfontein was not formalised, as the land was privately owned. Land had been earmarked for that community, and they were to be relocated to an area now known as Cosmo City.
There were numerous delays in the establishment of Cosmo City due to court action from surrounding landowners who wanted to prevent the development of that area. Finally, in 2004, the go-ahead was given for the establishment of Cosmo City.
The first residents from Zevenfontein moved into their new homes in late 2005. Since then, the entire community who qualified for housing assistance from government has been relocated into formal housing in Cosmo City.
The informal settlement of Zevenfontein, which was the only home many young people had known, is no longer in existence. The last family was recently moved to Cosmo City.
In Zevenfontein, the community had access to limited basic services, and in Cosmo City they now live in a well-established suburb. This clearly demonstrates that it is possible to eradicate informal settlements. The ANC- led government must be congratulated on this achievement.
We would also call on those involved in the eradication of informal settlements to learn from the experiences of both Zevenfontein and Cosmo City. The ANC lives and the ANC leads. I thank you. [Applause.]