A year later, and still no justice for Nyanga boys
AS THIS week marked a year since four Nyanga boys died tragically when an embankment they were playing on caved in, their parents have expressed disappointment in government officials' “empty promises”.
The four friends Azola Quweni,13, Nqabayethu Mlaza,12, Ivakele Kalikopu, 13, and Axolile Mabangula, 11, were playing on a sand dune along the N2 Borchards Quarry turnoff when it collapsed and they were buried beneath it.
The tragedy was highly publicised and a number of top officials visited the families, including former human settlements minister Lindiwe Sisulu and former transport and public works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela.
The families said many commitments were made to the grieving parents, including that they would be relocated to a safer area. However, nothing had materialised, they said.
Azola's mother, Nonkoliseko Quweni said it seemed some commitments were made just for publication.
“We were shocked to know last week through the media that we are not registered on the housing demand database and that we needed to apply.
“Last year the Department of Human Settlements said they would search for us and quickly give us an update so that we would apply if we had to.
“To date no-one has come to us with any feedback relating to that or how we must do it. So we don't know if they were just playing politics or they were just enjoying the limelight back then.
“Minister Sisulu vowed to ensure we were relocated from this place.
“This was even mentioned in newspapers and on TV. When we returned here in the province, coming back from our children's funeral, she also sent officials to the families to remind us she had not forgotten about us. Look where we are today,” said Quweni. Sisulu's spokesperson, Steve Motale said: “The minister contributed to their burial and even attended the funerals.
“The commitments made were commitments she could perform as a Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation. She is unfortunately
no longer in that portfolio.”
The current national officials for this department referred questions to the province.
When probed on when the families would be relocated, as allegedly promised, provincial Human Settlement Department spokesperson Nathan Adriaanse said the department had checked whether the affected families were registered on the housing demand database.
“Our search only revealed the approval for Ms Fundiswa Kalikopu in Delft. The other families are advised to apply for a housing opportunity on the Housing Demand Database with the (City) to be eligible for an opportunity. It’s important to highlight the allocation process. This includes the
“The department said the site was not compromised but said again it suspected that criminals had extracted sand. We demanded another report to be done ASISIPHO MLAZA Nqabayethu’s mother
importance of potential beneficiaries needing to register on the housing demand database to express their housing needs as it is ultimately their responsibility.”
Meanwhile, the provincial Department of Transport and Public Works has remained mum on whether additional fixed surveillance cameras, uniform and standard reporting procedures have been developed. It has also not said whether or not another report into the incident has been conducted.
The department had issued a technical investigation last year which found that the theft of sand filling by criminals led to the children’s deaths.
The Cape Times sent an enquiry and reminders to the department but it did not respond, despite promising to do so.
“The department said the site was not compromised but said again it suspected that criminals had extracted sand. We demanded another report to be done because we were not satisfied. We have never seen people inspecting that area as the department claimed, even children who usually play there say that. Our children have been failed and no one wanted to take responsibility,” said Nqabayethu’s mother, Asisipho Mlaza.