Photo by [SowetanLIVE]
“The provision of basic services of human rights that are enshrined in our constitution, the government of today fails to provide it to the people,” said Secretary General of Abahlali baseMjondolo, Thapelo Mohapi. The shack dwellers movement has organised a series of peaceful marches set to take place in three provinces from Wednesday to Saturday.
The 27 of April, Freedom Day to South Africans and Unfreedom Day to movement members, commemorates nearly three decades since the country held their first democratic elections. It also honours and acknowledges those who played a vital role and fought for this new non-racial, equal and free society.
However, Mohapi said, those freedoms are being taken away by corrupt individuals in government and institutions. Individuals who continue to marginalise and further disadvantage the impoverished in our country.
“We are not disputing the fact that there were heroes that fought and stood for equality in this country. But we are saying their fight, people are not respecting and honouring that by not providing services for the poor and marginalised in our communities.”
The Marches are to Foreground the Dire Situation of Marginalised South Africans
The march in Durban had a substantial turnout. Supporters of the movement marched to city hall, where they handed over a memorandum of demands. They are also set to march in Mpumalanga and Gauteng.
Amongst those demands were the prioritisation of essential services, access to housing and land and an end to the killing of activists associated with the movement, including the call for Police Minister Bheki Cele to step down from office.
Mohapi said their concerns and voices are, by and large, ignored by the government. He said the Dakota informal settlement ravaged by a terrible fire still does not have access to essential health and sanitation services, and people continue to live in fear.
“We only count on this government during elections. You see politicians coming in and out of the informal settlements, and they get surprised when they see the conditions that we are living under.”
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Corruption, An Obstacle in the Way of the Impoverished
There is a perception that when houses are allocated, people often prefer to either rent or sell the homes and live in informal settlements. In response to this notion, Mohapi said that government officials responsible for allocation fail to communicate and comprehend the requirements of the people.
They tend to allocate individuals further away from their families, friends, places of employment and educational institutions such as schools and universities.
“People are not engaged prior to [getting] these houses. When they are allocated [far away] from the city, they will accept the houses, rent it out or sell it … Because they are interested in economic activities that are taking place in the city … We are saying the government must consult and speak to the people on the ground before allocating homes.”
Moreover, Mohapi added that while the government is addressing housing issues, corrupt individuals pervade the allocation process. For all the progress made, corruption tends to stall and inhibit anything further.
“We are very concerned that the corruption has robbed us. We are in this crisis because of corrupt individuals who are only interested in enriching themselves and their families. Who has no concern about the people on the ground, [as a result] we continue to be impoverished in this way.”
