Malacca Road Informal Settlement resident to vote for change
Sthembile Buthelezi said she has made her choice on who to vote for in this year’s National and Provincial Elections. She has listed unemployment, access to education and crime as three of her reasons she wants to see change.
FOR Malacca Road Informal Settlement resident Sthembile Buthelezi, this year’s National and Provincial Elections on Wednesday, May 29, are a chance for her voice to be heard and a hope for change.
This year’s elections also coincides with the 30 years of freedom and democracy since the very first democratic elections in 1994.
Buthelezi, who is a teacher at The Seed Fund Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre based at the settlement, helps empower young minds to reach their full potential.
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She recently spoke to Northglen News about her hopes for the future, not only for herself but also for those around her.
“For me, being able to cast my vote is an honour. It is important to remember the people who fought for our rights to live in a democracy. That is why I will always vote because of their sacrifices. I feel everyone who is eligible to vote should do so because it’s never too late for a change,” she said.
While Buthelezi has already decided which political party she is going to vote for, she hopes that several aspects of life can be improved.
“Firstly it’s the unemployment rate. There are so many people who have no access to jobs or are locked out of the job market because they lack the experience. That is one thing that has to change. Crime is another concern for me – I don’t feel safe, and I don’t mean at the informal settlement where I live but wherever I go – be it in the CBD or on our roads, I’m scared of being robbed. Working in an ECD has also made me see that access to education has to be improved. So many parents cannot afford to take their children to school or access education opportunities because of poverty. Those are all things I consider when I cast my vote,” she said.
While her dream is to one day own her own home, the mother of three young daughters said she would also like to see the lives of the people around her improved.
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“There are many challenges living in an informal settlement. Especially being a mother with young daughters. The challenges we face as a settlement are not having access to electricity and safe and clean Community Ablution Blocks (CABS). The whole community use the same toilets and showers, and there is very little dignity, and ideally, we would like to have the children separated from the adults when using the ablution facilities. We also have a few portable toilets, but the condition of them is not good at all. That is something we struggle with as a community,” she said.
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