Mayor’s remarks upset families

STORM-displaced families in temporary shelter at a community hall said they felt hurt and angered when told by Buffalo City Metro mayor Xola Pakati – who visited them earlier this week – that the men among them should rebuild their shacks.

A number of the victims told Saturday Dispatch they were single moms, without men in their households.

Metro staff placed more than 80 people in the NU7, Mdantsane community hall on Wednesday evening, after their homes in the informal settlements of Machine Park, Empilisweni, Slovo Park and surrounds were destroyed by gale force winds and rain on Monday afternoon.

On Wednesday afternoon the Saturday Dispatch visited the residents at the community hall. Some sat on chairs, others lay on the cement floor wrapped in blankets supplied by disaster management.

Zoliswa Mqongwana, whose destroyed shack was home to her, her daughter and seven grandchildren, said she felt shocked and offended by the politician’s comments.

“You know, I had already accepted that it was God’s will for our shack to be blown away, but the BCM mayor opened a lot of painful wounds.

“He came to see us in a haste and barely engaged with us. He stood at the centre of the hall for five minutes, and told us he had done his part.

“He said people must vacate the hall the following day and rebuild their shacks.

“When we asked … who would be rebuilding our shacks, he said our men must build for us, pointing at the males who were in the hall at the time.”

Mqongwana said she did not “have a man”.

Vuyolethu Qomfo said it was the second time in three weeks that her shack had been demolished by a storm.

“Now I am here sleeping on cement because I don’t have the means [to move anywhere else]. The mayor’s words belittled us sitting here.

“He was so insensitive, telling us that he has finished doing his job. Yet he is sleeping in a warm bed tonight.”

Faniswa Gweva, speaking while surrounded by her family of six, said: “We don’t like being here. We would rather be in the comfort of our own homes, preparing meals in ways we like. We have nothing. Where are we going to get the materials to build with? Where is the money going to come from to pay for labour? Because not all of us have men, as the mayor has implied.”

The mayor’s spokesman, Ayabulela Ngoqo said the metro had no policy regarding the rebuilding of informal structures.

“The mayor must have been misunderstood as he was just saying that once the bad weather subsides, residents must rebuild their structures.”

A “proper meeting” would be held next week after assessments were completed. — mbalilt@dispatch.co.za