​The City of Tshwane Municipality has officially acquired land for the residents of Marry Me Informal Settlement in Soshanguve, providing long-awaited relief to the community.
This was announced by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi during a Community Imbizo on Wednesday, much to the excitement of the gathered residents.
"The city has bought this land for the inhabitants of Soshanguve and Gauteng only," Premier Lesufi declared. "Don't invite relatives from other parts of the country to come and benefit here."
Lesufi outlined the next steps, emphasizing that a Steering Committee will be established to oversee the formalization of the area. This committee will include representatives from the community, youth, the Gauteng Provincial Government, the municipality, and political parties.
The development plans include:
Installation of water, electricity, and roads
Allocation of RDP houses to qualifying residents
Lesufi also announced new job opportunities for young people in the area, highlighting two key programs:
 🔹The Teachers Assistant Program, which will employ 32,000 unemployed youth under the age of 35 for an eight-month period
 🔹 The Expanded Public Works Program (EPWP), which will provide jobs for 150,000 people across Gauteng
Additionally, Lesufi assured residents that more police officers will be deployed to enhance safety in the area.
Gauteng MEC for Social Development Faith Mazibuko shared that her Department has already begun conducting household profiling to provide Social Relief of Distress (food parcels) to struggling families.
She also encouraged residents struggling with substance abuse to register for the Department's six-week rehabilitation program, which includes:
 ✔ Two weeks of detoxification
 ✔ Four weeks of therapeutic support and family intervention
Mazibuko further highlighted the Ke Moja Program, which implements the National Drug Master Plan and the Gauteng City Region (GCR) Anti-Substance Abuse Strategy. This initiative aims to reduce drug demand, minimize harm caused by substance abuse, and disrupt the supply of drugs in communities.
With these developments, the residents of Marry Me Informal Settlement can look forward to a more stable and structured future, with access to essential services, employment opportunities, and social support.