He was hosted at a United Nations styled conference, by Norwegian People's Aid.
Welcome Mohapi recently traveled to Norway for a UN style conference.
“WE need a selfless leader to take our country further.” This was the quote that propelled Briardene Informal Settlement’s Welcome Mohapi into the spotlight in Oslo recently. The 30-year-old is the general secretary of the Abahlali baseMjondolo (Shack Dwellers) Movement, an organisation that fights the inequality facing the poor such as the access to education and the provision of water, electricity, sanitation and health care.
He was hosted at a United Nations styled conference, by Norwegian People’s Aid. Mohapi said through his work he has been privileged to carry the people’s message to many parts of the world.
“I was honoured to be a part of the trip to Norway. So often, NGOs working with the poor speak on behalf of the people living in shacks. For me it was important to speak for people who are marginalised, having grown up in an informal settlement. My parents lived and died here. My message was about painting a true reflection of life in an informal settlement,” he said.
He featured in the Verden newspaper.
“The people of Norway were amazing. I didn’t expect to make the paper when I said ‘what South Africa needed was a selfless leader’. I was honoured to be a part of the message of change.”
The 30-year-old added people living in more affluent areas ignored the rights of people living in shacks.
“I hear so many people question why do people continue building shacks and the answer is simple, because the economic boom has concentrated on the metros. People want to live as close to it as possible, to travel to the City to make a living. Our fight is to battle inequality and promote social cohesion. There are still people living with little or no access to basic human rights and we want to change that,” he said.
