Sunday, 24 May will forever be engraved in the hearts of Plot 323 tent dwellers whose lives were dignified when the much-awaited temporary housing was handed over to them.
After they had been evicted from a neighbouring private plot by the Red Ants in 2017, during which they lost most of their essential belongings as they were moved to the tents, this community had to endure extremely tough and very inhumane living conditions.
The handover of the structures was met with jubilance and tears of joy from many as they opened a door into their lives, as the housing project meant everything would eventually be put behind them.
Present at the handover were Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu; Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Lebohang Maile; City of Johannesburg Mayor Geoff Makhubo and some of his executives; Human Rights Commission representatives; Gift of the Givers representatives; and the Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane whose office played a significant role in speeding up the process.
Mkhwebane, who visited the plot for the first time in August last year, said in her address, “I am pleased that we have reached this point. Although we are halfway to the promised land, it warms my heart to see smiles on the faces of those who received keys to their new temporary homes.”
Following a visit by minister Sisulu, at least 70 state-of-the-art temporary housing structures had been built within two months on the earmarked land in Haylon Hills adjacent to Plot 323.
Watch here:
One of the recipients, Timothy Matsemba who is confined to a wheelchair, was among the many joyful recipients. His unit has a specialised walkway to enable him to get to his house.
Another recipient, Lefty Khuselo, also expressed his gratitude.
“Although this has been a very long process, we thank all sectors of government that finally made this housing project possible. We hope they also deliver on the promise of proper housing.”
An emotional Ikemeleng NGO chairperson Patricia Mofokeng, who also thanked the delegates from government with heart-warming gifts, said that if it wasn’t for Lebohang Mofokane driving this urgent project forward, they would have been far from success.
Mofokane, the ANC deputy chairperson in Ward 97, was praised for doing things by the book instead of driving the already disgruntled community to the streets.As a humanitarian in his own right, Mofokane reflected on this worthy progress.
“This is a watershed moment for the people of the plots in Ward 97, particularly Plot 323. I am grateful to see the lives of the people starting to improve. This vision was born in 2015 during the formation of Ikemeleng,” he explained.
Watch here:
Mayor Makubo praised the swift action by government to get these new structures erected following the government officials’ visit.Advocate Mohamed Shafie Ameermia from the Human Rights Commission, commented on how the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the housing need among fellow South Africans.
“It has highlighted the structural inequalities and deep poverty lines in our society, particularly in the housing sector where staying at home as a public-health measure is simply impossible for those who are homeless, and those who live in inadequate facilities in large numbers,” he said, adding that this was the time to help the most vulnerable in ensuring that everyone is adequately housed, and those that are already housed do not lose their homes because of the economic repercussions of Covid-19.
Maile said that because of the large influx of people into Gauteng, about 1,2 million people need houses, although the government “… does not have enough resources to build for everyone.”
However, our approach is not just to build houses. We have various interventions such as the rapid land release programme because some people are able to build their own houses; they just need access to serviced land,” he explained.
Minister Sisulu concluded by saying, “To those who are unhappy, I’d like to say, that what you wish for yourself is necessarily what everyone wishes for themselves”.
