By Luvuyo Mjekula
“We may live on farms, but we are also human.”
This message emerged from a group of residents from the farming community of Salem, about 20km from Makhanda.
The small group of residents who said they represent more than 160 households, took their service delivery complaints to the Makana Municipality on Tuesday and threatened not to vote in next year’s local government elections if their demands are not met in 30 days.
The protestors also threatened to take their grievances to the South African Human Rights Commission.
They submitted a petition to the Makana Municipality with the following complaints:
- Salem has been left out of mainstream communities or wards for service delivery
- Some areas have no electricity
- Roads are not in good condition
- Scholar transport cannot access certain areas
- The Makana Municipality has not provided water to the area for some time
- There are no decent toilets for human use
One of the organisers, Ayanda Mbebetho, said that as residents of ward 13, they have been ignored by the municipality since the dawn of democracy in 1994. “After 30 years, there are still areas without water or electricity,” said Mbebetho.
He said while they understand water challenges are felt across the municipality, their situation is worse because they have no taps and the municipality fails to truck in water regularly.
“There aren’t any services; we are neglected as farmers and farm dwellers. We are here to say we want water, toilets, electricity, and the roads must be fixed.”
Mbebetho said the poor state of roads badly affects school-going children who are forced to stay at home when heavy rains damage the dirt roads.
The residents say their ward councillor, Wandisile Matina, has also let them down. “Today, we are saying enough is enough.”
For years, Salem has been a community of commercial farms where owners lived on the farms with their workers.
However, since the government’s land reform programme, more and more emerging farmers have found a home in the area. However, they complain about the dire lack of development and work.
“We want development, and we have heard that there is no budget for Salem. If that is the case, we are saying we will not vote [in next year’s local government elections]. They must not bother coming to our area next year. We have given them 30 days, after which we will seek legal advice so that the Human Rights Commission can intervene,” said Mbebetho.
Other residents echoed his sentiments.
Thembisa Kosi, a Salem resident, said boreholes would go a long way in alleviating their water challenges. “We are sick and don’t have water to take our medication. We have to go to Makhanda to buy water for R25 so that we can take our medication.”
She said there is not a single school in the area, and parents must send their children to Makhanda or Seven Fountains.
Sixty-six-year-old Funisile Katu said he was born in Salem, but has nothing to show for it. He also complained about the lack of water and schools. He pays R1 000 monthly to a Makhanda resident so his child can attend school.
Liziwe Nojoko, 77, said her son, who has asthma, had to leave Salem because there is no electricity to charge his oxygen mask. “I am not in good health. I have lost weight because of this pain of lack of services.” Nojoko sometimes asks neighbours for water to take medication. She also lives in a shack.
Another Salem resident, Lungisile Madinda, said their area is in serious need of recreational facilities to keep children away from crime. “We want children to play sports. That is why we are here, and we are hoping for answers.”
Madinda said they are still waiting for the Department of Human Settlements to upgrade their informal settlements. The department had told the residents there was no money for housing development.
He said their councillor ‘ran away from us’ when he opted out of a residents’ WhatsApp group.
However, speaking to Grocott’s Mail on Thursday, Matina denied the allegation. He said he talks to residents in public meetings and not on social media.
Matina also acknowledged the residents’ concerns, but assured them he was playing his role in trying to find solutions. He has recently been in contact with Eskom over electricity challenges in Ward 13 and contacted relevant government departments.
Makana Municipality council Speaker, Mabhuti Matyumza, Mayor Yandiswa Vara and Councillor Andile Hoyi received the residents’ demands on Tuesday. They would call them in for a meeting with the petitions committee in about a week.
The residents welcomed the response.
