Life has improved for several families living near the Total Petroport Magalies between Brits and Rustenburg on the N4 freeway, thanks to the construction of a new carriageway and off-ramps immediately adjacent to this state-of-the-art facility that comprises a major Total service station, a Bonjour retail outlet and a Steers restaurant.
Fuelarama, which owns the business, has assisted 13 households who were living in the informal settlement next to the site to relocate to another area close by with much better living conditions.
Sixteen stands have been set aside, a borehole has been developed, along with a vegetable garden and some fruit trees. Two brick houses that had to be knocked down have also been redeveloped and improved at the new location. Concrete floors have been provided for the other sites and householders have been assisted to move and improve the structures they have erected on these sites. Their new area has been also been leveled and fenced off.
A big bonus for the families is that they now live a bit further away from the freeway and have access to running water, something which was a major problem for them in the past. The CPA (Communal Property Association) committee can now assist the relocated households to apply for Eskom electricity connections, which was not possible previously.
A future project associated with the movement of these families to a new area will be the building of a pre-school to cater for young children in the area and the provision of a lawn.
In addition, another five families affected by the carriageway and off-ramp development have also been assisted to improve their structures.
According to Lourens Lombard, one of the partners in Fuelarama, the families who have been affected by the relocation are extremely happy with their new environment and improved conditions.
“It has worked out very well for the people who have been affected as they definitely have better living conditions and facilities which we have been delighted to provide,” he said.
“We are extremely pleased with the way it has worked out and have received good feedback from community members who have been positively impacted.”
Total Petroport Magalies has been in existence since 1995 and today employs more than 70 staff members.
The carriageway and off-ramp development project is expected to be completed by March 2013.