Fears as homes crumble
Hope is fading fast for residents of Ward 3 who claim that Makana Municipality has turned its back on them after promising to fix their crumbling pre-1994 houses.
Some residents of areas like Ghosttown, Vergenoeg and Scotts Farm fear that their houses will one day give in and collapse over them while they sleep, such is the state of the houses.
A lot of the houses in these areas have visible cracks on the foundations and on the walls and some appear to be sinking, according to ward councillor Marcelle Booysen.
Grocott’s Mail visited the areas and spoke to a number of residents and observed the appalling conditions some of the residents live under. Another big challenge for the residents of Ghosttown is that the solar geysers that were installed in the area are either falling off or causing more damage to the already fragile structures.
Booysen says most of the people complain that they can't even extend or renovate their homes because of the state they are in.
Lena du Plessis from Ghostown said the Makana municipality the geyser that was installed by the municipality in her house has caused huge damage. The geyser was allegedly damaged by wind early this year. “A big wind came up and ripped off the geyser. Since then we have been living in a shame here. This has been reported a number of times but nobody seems to take care of it at the municipality.
“It becomes worse when its raining because the all the water comes in. My furniture has been damaged by the water and I can’t even replace it because of this leaking roof,” said Du Plessis.
Iris Basson, 60, from Ghostown, said her roof was damaged by the solar geyser that was installed by the municipality. The geyser has been apparently leaking and with the roof being asbestos, it was damaged easily by the water that leaks day and night.
“The geyser is still leaking and we reported it to the municipality. My fear is that it is leaking on top of the electric box,” said Basson.
In 4th Avenue in Vergenoeg there is a house with deep cracks all over the walls. Winstonia du Plessis who lives in the house with her four family members said it could fall any time because of the deep cracks on the walls.
Daphney Martins from Ghostown also complained of wall cracks in her house. “I can’t sleep at night when there is big wind because the house could fall down any time. I’m very worried by this and don’t know what to do,” said Martins. Booysen said all the houses in the areas face similar problems. She said the houses are leaking and have got cracks which pose danger to people living inside.
Booysen said when the houses were built without proper foundation. She said the situation in all those areas was making the community lose faith in them.
“It’s like we are not doing our work enough now here in this ward. I informed the municipality about the situation of the houses a long time ago.
“I went to Riana Meiring and Dali Mlenzana to discuss this situation but until now nothing has been done.
“It’s not the community’s problem if they mismanage municipal funds. What is needed is to deliver services to the community. People are now looking at me as somebody who is not doing her work well. When a complaint has been lodged, the municipality has to act on that complaint,” said Booysen. Makana municipality spokesperson Yoliswa Ramokolo had not answered Grocott’s Mail’s emailed questions at the time of going to print.
I can’t sleep at night when there is big wind because the house could fall down any time. I’m very worried by this and don’t know what to do