WATCH: Zamimpilo, a hard-to-endure living space
"Zamimpilo is becoming ungovernable."
On May 1, which was International Workers Day, Councillor Basil Douglas, PR Councillor Tania Oldjohn and the committee of Horseshoe met with committee members of Zamimpilo.
The whole aim of this meeting was to introduce the committees so that they can start working together with an understanding. After the protest of last year, there was tension between residents from the community with a street dividing the two.
WATCH:
The committees met and the small group of Horseshoe residents were taken for a walk through the informal settlement. The area is known for its high crime rate and its amount of Zama Zamas (illegal miners) living in the camp.
Residents were shocked to see the state in which the camp was in. The whole environment within the area is consumed by litter, sewage, and a den where pigs are kept. There is a strong stench which comes from all of the land and water pollution.
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Thulani Mdluli who has been a resident in the informal settle since 1998 is the chairman of the committee of Zamimpilo.
He explained that Zamimpilo is becoming an ungovernable community as there are too many illegal activities happening in the area, the site is expanding due to more people putting up shacks and there is only 30 percent of South Africans living in the settlement.
Some people are paying rent for shacks because there are individuals who own at least seven shacks each and rent them out.
“We had an agreement with the previous MEC of housing that the area will remain small as long as the Red Ants (Red Ant Security Relocation & Eviction Services) are assisting us. For years it worked until the new MEC of housing took the Red Ants out of the area.
“Now we have mushrooming of shacks and we as a committee are struggling to keep the area small. We are tired of all the empty promises from the housing department because they are great liars. We want our houses,” said Mdluli.
There is currently a court case against invaders who managed to occupy the flats in Fleurhof which were allocated to Zamimpilo people. The ward councillor is pleased that the committees met.
“I want them to work together, this is one community, the division has to stop here,” he explained.
Blodwen Roux, the chairlady of the Horseshoe Committee said: “We did not know the happenings on the inside, we did not know the conditions of it.
“My worry is more on the health issues and the children. I’m happy to see that the electrical cables aren’t on the ground, at least its high up but it’s still a concern.
“Now that I’ve seen what’s going on, its heartbreaking, I always heard about the inside but now I understand. We as a committee will start working with Zamimpilo’s committee, we cannot have people living like this.”
According to the chairman of Zamimpilo committee, there will be another protest if they do not get addressed by the MEC for human settlements, cooperative governance and traditional affairs, Dikgang Moiloa.
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