Hopeless in Kya Sand Informal Settlement
KYA SAND – Herman Mashaba believes it is the time to end human rights violations in the City of Joburg.
Oupa Mashaba has been looking for a job ever since he arrived at the Kya Sand informal settlement in 2008.
This father of one child relies heavily on temporary jobs to care for his family. He met Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba for the first time at the informal settlement on 30 May.
The two are not related in any way but they share the same surname.
Oupa said he was without hope and battled to survive. “Most of these jobs last only three days and offer me a little salary, but sometimes I don’t get any work for a period of more than two months,” he said.
He explained that with a driver’s licence, grade 12 and a computer programming certificate, he could only hope that one day his plight will be over, like many other residents in the area.
Herman Mashaba went back to the settlement with a group of DA members to report back on progress made since the last visit. He has since written to the Human Rights Council.
Children are seen loitering around in the streets while young men and women are playing cards, some for money, others for entertainment only.
An elderly woman, probably in her late 40’s, who did not want to be identified, cried hopelessly in front of Herman before narrating her ordeal. “I sell my body sometimes for only R20. I need to survive and I fear these young people will kill me,” she said.
“This is so sad and you could see that the ruling party’s failure to provide education is deliberate. Most of these people are hopeless,” said Herman.
He explained that the City should have provided residents with stands, provided basic services such as proper toilets and sanitation and should have registered all the residents.
“It needs to be done so that you can give people dignity. Imagine going somewhere and you cannot provide your home address,” he said.
“Mayor Parks Tau and the government are boasting about their successes but look at these people,” he said.
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