Deputy President Paul Mashatile has today, Wednesday, 14 August 2024, commended the Free State Provincial Government, the Kopanong Local Municipality,  as well as the Jagersfontein Development Project, on progress achieved in coordinating support, to address the challenges faced by communities in Jagersfontein, following the collapse of a tailings dam wall on September 11, 2022, resulting in a mud slide which damaged infrastructure and homes in the area.

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.

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.

The visit by Deputy President 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.  

In this regard, Deputy President Mashatile has expressed his 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.

The Deputy President has further emphasised the importance of expediting the process of addressing all other outstanding critical matters of water supply challenges experienced by residents, agricultural support needed, as well as responding to educational needs of youth in the area.