Suurbraak needy lose hope after 20 years

SUURBRAAK residents were left frustrated after a meeting with a Human Settlements Department official in the hamlet failed to give them desperately needed answers.

Since May, the activists occupied land next to Main Road in makeshift shacks to show the living conditions still present in the town after 20 years of promises of low-income housing.

Mawubuye land activist and Suurbraak resident Reinette Heunis said they felt a sense of victory when the national department had sent officials to meet them.

But she said Swellendam Municipality had not responded to the memorandum delivered last month when Suurbraak residents protested in the town.

Suurbraak Youth Movement chairperson Donovan Julius said: “I question what good this meeting meant if they could not provide us with answers. They only met with us for an hour or so. We had extended an invitation to the municipality, but it seems they boycotted it and did not even bother to respond to our invitation.”

He said since the June storm they had been staying in the local community hall, and would remain there while they continued to fight.

Suurbraak Civic Association leader Burton Beukes said they would meet again to discuss the way forward but he felt disappointed after yesterday’s meeting.

He said the community wanted to meet the municipality and national departments to work towards resolving their issues, but doubted the Swellendam Municipality would agree to this.

Suurbraak acting municipal manager Hennie Schlebusch said only Swellendam mayor Nicholas Myburgh could respond to the media.

However, Myburgh had not responded to Cape Times messages or calls by deadline.