Dreams do come true
After four years, these residents finally have ablution facilities.
September 13, the day they received their first ablution facility, is a day that will long be remembered by residents of the Shaka’s Head tin houses.
They have been living without electricity, water or toilets, for the past four years. But this Sunday they received a container fitted with four toilets and two showers, two hand wash basins and four windows, skylights and vents.
This was thanks to Tamsyn Ferreira from Alifurn Outdoor Living in the Shaka’s Head business park who raised the money for the container.
“When I found out about the desperate situation this community was in, I felt it was my responsibility to try and help bring dignity to these families, comprising mainly of women and children,” said Ferreira.
She said it could not have been done without the support of KDM disaster management’s Tarzan Naicker, Jason Chapman from Chapman Building and Martin Barnard from B Square Financial throughout the project, as well as the generous donations from the community.
Barry Chapman of Mac Mac Plumbing did all the plumbing work for the project.
“It was an honour and a privilege to officially hand over the container to the community,” she said.
The residents also now have a standpipe which they said will make their lives much easier as they will no longer have to walk a great distance to fetch water. Their councillor Jetro Banda has promised them that by the end of this year they will also have electricity.
“The municipality does not have land to build houses for them in Shaka’s Head but as soon as we find the land a housing project will start,” said Banda.
KwaDukuza municipality council speaker Thulani Khuluse said he had been shocked to discover that these people had been living in such bad conditions.
“Thanks so much to these private organisations for offering a helping hand to assist these families. I remember I was still mayor when these people were relocated to this area, I had thought it was to be on a temporary basis,” said Khuluse.
On behalf of the residents Busisiwe Mpanza expressed their joy and appreciation for the ablution facility.
“I am running short of words to express how happy we are. It has been very difficult using the bush as a toilet. We say thank you and may God bless you,” said Mpanza.
It is now the residents’ responsibility to ensure that the container stays in a good condition and they collectively will have to come up with a plan to keep their container clean.
