Despite having lived in a shack for many years, Billy Modikwe still believes in Madiba Magic.
“People say if we live in an informal settlement, we can’t celebrate a ‘big man’. But if Nelson Mandela was here, we would receive service delivery,” said community leader Modikwe. This is why he built the tribute to the statesman.
He lives in Kya Sand informal settlement, across the road from Bloubosrand, and bordered by Kya Sand, Hoogland, and Riverbend. In contrast to the many other suburbs locals visit in the course of their employment, the informal settlement has nothing. No Johannesburg Water, no Pikitup, no City Power, no Johannesburg Roads Agency, none of the day-to-day amenities needed to make suburban living livable in one of the largest informal settlements of the northern suburbs.
Modikwe hoped that a ‘big man’ would see that the community had not given up hope, that even on Mandela Day someone with real authority and willpower would see the tribute he and his friends built. “We are always made empty promises by city council,” he said. “Each year we protest, we receive more empty promises and elections next year will bring still more empty promises.
“I want to say to residents surrounding us, we are not all criminals. I want to say sorry for those criminals living among us. We don’t like living like this, we also want decent municipal services.”
Shack dwellers in the nearby Plot 51 were living in the same conditions and some of those residents have been deemed to be living there illegally, and are facing eviction. Ward 96 councillor Matome Mafokwane said the low-cost housing development next to the Lion Park to house Plot 51 and Kya Sand informal residents would be complete by 2021. “The project falls under the auspices of Gauteng Provincial Government and should house 12 000 families,” he said. Mafokwane added that a dam had to be built first so the new development could have access to running water which should be done by next year. It is hoped that by relocating people to the Lion Park project, they would be able to find work along the Malibongwe Drive commercial node.
All of which pales against another eight years of life in Kya Sand informal settlement. “Maybe next year, a ‘big man’ will visit, and see how we live here,” said Modikwe as he gestured at the ramshackle corrugated iron shacks that littered the dusty hillside. “Maybe one day.”
