By Nothando Yolanda Tshuma
Residents of certain small towns in the Makana Municipality continue to be cheated of their basic human rights due to lack of service delivery, as a result of the embattled Makana Municipality which has allegedly failed to deliver drinking water and proper infrastructure for roads, water and sanitation across the municipality.
According to the South African Human Rights Commission, everyone has a right of access to basic water supply and sanitation. Residents of small towns continue to face dangerous and life-threatening situations, largely due to the fault of government structures that are meant to support them. Despite promises of equal access to essential services, these communities often feel neglected, struggling with inadequate healthcare, unreliable infrastructure, and a lack of basic resources. Ironically, the same government that advocates for a democracy built on the principle of being “For the people, by the people” often falls short of delivering on these ideals, leaving citizens vulnerable and underserved. This therefore highlights the disconnect between democratic promises and the reality experienced by those in disadvantaged areas.
Makhanda residents have complained about the conditions of the town. This includes the never-ending portholes for motorists. The ongoing water outages. However, these concerns have been falling on deaf ears for a long time. 30 years after the democratic elections, People are still oppressed by the same government they hoped will bring about change. Was it ever really change or a contest of the worst government?
Riebeek East
In a 2012 article published by Grocott’s Mail, local residents expressed deep concerns about the hardships of daily life in their town, emphasizing the strain of rising costs and limited employment opportunities. One resident described the high cost of living, saying, “…things are so very expensive, gas and food and sending your children to school, because we are so far away….” This means that even basic necessities come at a premium therefore stretching household budgets thin. For instance, another resident highlighted the restrictive costs of transportation, stating that, “A taxi ride is R35 one way, a lot of people cannot afford R70 just to travel.” These financial burdens, coupled with the scarcity of job opportunities, paint a picture of economic survival in the area. The resident further emphasized the town’s high unemployment rate, noting that “…unemployment is a reality in Riebeek East, as the only work available is on beef farms or with the municipality.” This limited job market means that many residents face a daily struggle to find consistent and reliable work, with the few available opportunities often demanding long hours and hard labor for minimal pay.
Earlier this year in April, the Grocott’s Mail team visited Riebeek East and encountered the harsh realities residents face daily. These difficult conditions are particularly harmful to children, impacting their fundamental rights to health, sanitation, and basic education. Many residents are still living with apartheid-era infrastructure, feeling abandoned by the same government they supported in 1994. A recent article published by Grocott’s Mail, titled “In a Progressive Country, Riebeek East Fails to See Progress,” captures the frustrations of the community.
It has been twelve years since the 2012 report on Riebeek East’s challenges, yet conditions have only worsened. Notably, the town still relies on bucket-system toilets, which fail to meet residents’ basic sanitation needs. Bonisile Calana, a 35-year-old resident and Makana Municipality employee, shared that “when it is time for draining these toilets, only a few houses get their toilets drained, while the other houses are left with their toilets full.” This issue also affects elderly residents; Ivy Peters, 78, noted the intolerable odour from nearby toilets and expressed frustration, stating she could not recall the last time her toilet was drained. Despite reporting the issue to the municipality five times in 2023, her concerns were disregarded. This neglect raises an urgent question: Could the negligence of the Makana Municipality be contributing to the decline of our towns?
Alicedale
A small town also located in the Sarah Baartman district, 50kms from Makhanda is also victim of negligence by the Makana Municipality when it comes to the Service Delivery. The year 2023 highlights the struggles faced by the residents of this small town. Residents took to Grocott’s Mail to raise their concerns about the lack of water and electricity. A resident stated that, “…the municipality supplied the area with smaller JoJo water tanks, but did not fill those tanks. Water in the township, even when delivered by municipal water trucks, goes to the schools and even then, the water truck from Makhanda is not consistent…” This is also a violation of human rights by the government structures.
In recent events, the SABC visited the Alicedale community in which the residents accused the Makana Municipality of the lack of incompetence. This led the residents writing a petition to the Municipality to meet their demands. The lack of proper toilets is not only in Riebeek East but also in Alicedale. In an emailed sent by a resident of Alicedale there was a march that was supposed to take place but due to the account of weather, it did not go as planned. The aim of the march was to, “expose the Municipality’s disregard and neglect of this marginalised community.” Another aim of this march was to, “exposing this travesty, and one that impacts heavily on our community of some 6000 souls (at last censor count) 85% of whom are unemployed, with a rising crime rate!” said one resident via email.
“There remains much to be added to that discussed here as far as possible corruption is concerned and there is no doubt it continues today,’ stated a resident via email.
“Huge salary bills for people to live high on the hog without producing anything to the benefit of community … the most recent idiocy is the installation of a playground for the children – with parents not being asked for their preference of location.” Sent Via Email
Under the constitution, the role of the municipality is to “structure and manage administration and budgeting and planning processes to give priority to the basic needs of the community and to promote the social and economic development of the community”. However, the Makana Municipality consistently fails to do so.
The ongoing struggles of small towns like Riebeek East and Alicedale in the Sarah Baartman district highlight a severe disconnect between the promises made by democratic governance and the harsh realities faced by disadvantaged communities. Despite the constitutional guarantees of access to basic services such as water, sanitation, and healthcare, residents continue to live in conditions reminiscent of the apartheid era. With insufficient infrastructure, inadequate service delivery, and growing unemployment, these communities feel abandoned by the government they once supported in the hope of progress. The negligence of local municipalities, particularly the Makana Municipality, further escalate the challenges, leaving residents to fight for their fundamental human rights. The persistent failures raise urgent questions about the mismanagement of resources and whether an investigation into these issues could pave the way for real change, “Could the investigation by the SIU of the mishandling of funds by the Makana Municipality be the light at the end of the tunnel for small towns in the Sarah Baartman District?”. Only through accountability and genuine commitment to social and economic development can these towns begin to experience the progress they have long been promised.
