Ward 8 residents face uphill battle
Constant struggle for community to maintain dignity
BUFFALO City Metro’s ward eight remains one of the most troubled areas, where thousands of residents still battle to access basic human needs.
A Daily Dispatch team took a tour around the ward, which for the main comprises Fynbos, Gompo, and parts of Duncan Village.
Bulelwa Stimela of Fynbos, who lives with her husband and four children in a temporary shelter, said residents were irate over the slow progress of the RDP housing project in their area, which began in 2015.
“When they began the housing project they said it would only take a year to finish so we could move in.
“It has been close to four years and we are still cramped in temporary structures.”
She said the broken communal toilets shared by those in the temporary structures were a nightmare for residents.
As a result she is forced to travel 100m to other toilets meant to serve a different section to relieve herself, and even these communal toilets are not functioning properly.
“We get infected through this. My body is always itching.
“We have to walk to the toilets this side because here it is better – ours do not even have doors.”
She continued: “We had a meeting with our ward councillor and she said she will report this at the council meeting.”
When the Daily Dispatch visited the housing project construction workers were on site.
In Moscow informal settlement, residents claim the area was plagued by illegal electricity connections. Kholeka Dloto said: “When I got here electricity was being connected illegally, which shows just how desperate we are, but I do not want to do that. Two people died from illegal connections last year.”
Luxolo Jeku of Khayelitsha informal settlement said the community was still waiting for a footbridge that would make accessing the neighbouring Siya informal settlement easier. “There is a large stream between the two areas making it difficult for people to cross.”
Councillor Ayanda Mapisa said they were addressing the issues.
According to Ayanda, the ward had received a budget of R9.7-million for the current financial year.
“The beneficiary list of the housing project is already with the residents. When everything is complete, people will be moved in.”
Speaking about the electricity issues in Moscow and the damaged communal toilets in Fynbos she said: “People always report this and I try to do my own intervention. There are no people employed to maintain them. A service provider is hired to maintain them and there are certain processes that need to be followed.”
She said: “Moscow is the most problematic area with illegal electricity connections. A report from our officials shows that the area is overcrowded. We might have to move certain shacks in order to put up electricity poles. I had a meeting with the residents and explained why they can’t get electricity. We do not want to risk people’s lives by putting in electricity in areas where it could be dangerous for people.”
BCM spokesperson Bathandwa Diamond said the RDP housing project will be completed in October. She explained that two caretakers are employed to look after the communal toilets. “There has been increasing levels of vandalism by the communities where these toilets are, to unsustainable levels.
“In the meantime we will continue with repairs and maintenance, as much as budget allows.
“We have exhausted our maintenance budget, and will only be in a position to conduct any repairs in the new financial year, commencing in a few week’s time.”
Councillor Ayanda Mapisa can be contacted on 078 833 9436.