A family of 16 living in Strubenvale say they have had enough of the stares and whispers behind their backs and outright disgust expressed to their faces.
One of the women, whose name has been withheld to protect the identity of her children and other children who go to different schools in Springs and who live on the property, says they cannot help their circumstances.
They have been renting the house for about a year.
They allege that the owner of the property is behind on the electricity bill, leaving them in darkness.
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“We have nowhere else to go and everyone who lives here is related. Most of us have been kicked out by family members,” the woman says.
All the children of school-going age who live on the property attend a school in Springs.
“A few of us receive Sassa grants, but how do you live on R700 a month?” she asks.
The women tell how
“Every day, my friend and I walk into the bush, which is a block away from our house, to fetch wood for a fire so that we can boil water,” says another woman.
They tell of their many encounters with snakes and alleged zama zamas.
“We can’t afford to come across as scared because we have to do it to survive, but the bush is a dangerous place.”
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The two women march into the bush with a 240-litre wheelie bin and spend hours picking up wood before carrying the heavy load back to their house.
“We don’t even need to gym,” one of the women jokes, “we build enough muscle lifting heavy branches.”
The pair says they make do with what they have and that they only want to be left alone.
“We are not bothering anyone, we do not beg on the streets for money, we do not steal and we do not ask anyone for anything.
“If you come visit us, you’ll find that we are actually a very close and happy family.
“Every day, we play games outside and do activities we wouldn’t have done if we had a television.”
One of the women says she would not trade their happiness and contentment as a family for anything in the world.
The only thing they want
The women say they are unable to find work due to the stories being spread about them.
“We are not asking for money. We want to work for what we receive, and if that means working in the garden, we are more than prepared to do just that,” says one of the women.
“But the rumours are getting to a point where my children don’t want to go to school any more due to all the gossip.
“This is starting to affect innocent children and we just want it to stop.
“We are not doing any harm.”
The struggle
The women say they only have a little money to spend each day, so they buy what is known as ‘meaty bones’.
“We put that into a pot and make a stew with vegetables that we grow in our yard.
“Our children eat every day and no one goes hungry, but we do struggle.”
They also have a few dogs on the premises that are in healthy condition.
“Our dogs will eat every day.”
The owner of a local shop close to the family’s home charges them R5 per phone to charge the battery.
“That is a lot of money to us, but we appreciate that someone in the community is willing to help us.”
In conclusion the women state, “Do not judge us for the way we are forced to live. We are happy, and if you walked a week in our shoes, you would understand.”
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