While Makana Municipality and the Methodist Church blame each other for the delayed handover of a Fingo residential compound, the affected residents maintain that they urgently need the delivery of basic services.
While Makana Municipality and the Methodist Church blame each other for the delayed handover of a Fingo residential compound, the affected residents maintain that they urgently need the delivery of basic services.
Disgruntled glebe residents who moved to the informal compound decades ago are complaining about the stench caused by the “hazardous” bucket toilet system which they still use.
While the buckets are supposed to be collected every week, the residents say the waste collectors often don’t come, leaving them helpless and without facilities when nature calls.
Thobeka Seyisi who has lived in the glebe for 30 years, said that they need service delivery from the council as they are aware that the church has already signed the transfer of the land to the council.
“I run a business of hiring out toilets and that’s what helps me cope when our bucket is not emptied, but what about the other families which are not as lucky?”
She added that she needs an RDP house but that having a toilet was a priority. “It hurts when you can’t provide your visitors with a toilet,” she explained, “we want to get rid of the bucket system.”
While the residents would like to improve the conditions of their compound they say there’s nothing they can do because the land does not belong to them. Another resident Joe Nesi said: “We’re waiting for an announcement that says services will now be rendered, and yet we are not sure because people lie and confuse us.” He
added that he needs a toilet because he is tired of using the bucket system “which hardly ever gets emptied”. Nesi has been residing there for the past 29 years and now his shack is falling apart.
A pile of bricks sits in his backyard but he says he cannot build a house because “this is not my land”. Glebe residents draw water from the three public taps which are located in Victoria Road.
Accusing the church of reneging on the land transfer deal, Makana spokesperson Thandy Matebese said last week that a meeting has been scheduled for 14 April where the municipality and the church’s national leadership will discuss the matter.
“The office of the presiding bishop, which according to the constitution of the church has the sole responsibility to handle all property transactions, has expressed willingness to go ahead with he transfers,” he explained.
“However the local branch, in contradiction with the church’s constitution, has continued to attempt to stop the proposed transfer.”
Attempts to obtain comment from the local leadership of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa drew a blank.
Seyisi said housing developments are happening around the glebe but the government does not build toilets for them.
The glebe is made up of sixteen large stands, most of which accommodate numerous families. One stand has five families who all share one toilet.
Pegging has been undertaken in the area and it will be subdivided further into about 80 stands. The council plans to partition the current stands into four sites where four RDP houses will be built to accommodate the first four families to arrive at the stand.
