Khoisan movement to embark on 50km walk to raise money for housing crisis

The Khoisan Mass Movement is preparing to embark on a 50km walk tomorrow to raise money for the Gauteng housing crisis and to demand land and housing.

According to the civil rights movement, community members and volunteers will walk from Johannesburg to the Vodacom head office, then the Union Buildings in Pretoria overnight and to the housing department on Thursday morning.

Following the community march in 2020 through central Johannesburg under the banner of the Gauteng Housing Crisis Committee, chairperson and national president of the Khoisan Mass Movement, Joseph Marble, said the community felt let down by government.

“We have people who have been awaiting houses since 1997, some since 2000 and others even before, and nothing has been said or done,” Marble said.

Earlier this year, many residents across Gauteng expressed disappointment and concern around the huge housing backlog, with many still on waiting lists to receive houses after registering with the department of housing in 1996.

There are currently close to 480 000 people on the waiting list for houses in the City of Joburg as Gauteng struggles to reduce the housing backlog.

The backlog is at just over 1.2 million, due to more people relocating to the province for better economic opportunities.

“I want to walk from Johannesburg to Cape Town or around South Africa to raise about R80 million regarding the buildings that we want to buy for all our housing departments, heritage buildings and other related projects,” Marble added.

“The price of the building is R28 000 000. This building is going to be are Khoisan national office and also housing office.”

“This is also where all our different Khoisan structures groups will sit, leaders from different ethnic groups. There are different race groups and each of us has our own language and cultures, just like any other ethnic group in South Africa.”

Marble has urged those who want to pledge support by joining the walk or make donations to call 061-092-5197.

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