Residents of the Grassy Park informal settlement Egoli, who say they have been living for 15 years in abject poverty in shacks built on damp ground, have called for urgent government intervention.
At a meeting called by PAC member Phindile Jimmy Xalipi on Monday, the community asked to be moved to dry land and to be provided with the basic services to which all citizens were entitled.
They have invited DA leader Helen Zille, the Western Cape premier-elect, and ANC president Jacob Zuma, incoming national president, to visit the area to check out their conditions first-hand.
The community consists of about 700 families living on just more than two hectares of land.
Cassiem Alexander, who co-owns the land, said he did not want to evict the informal residents, but stressed that the government should find alternative land.
"My worry is that their children are not getting a proper education, and may end up doing drugs," he said.
The conditions were the worst he had seen yet, he added.
The residents complained that they lived without running water, used buckets for toilets and had no electricity. Their shacks were built on damp ground, resulting in the outbreak of disease, they said. Many were jobless.
During a visit on Monday, residents told of how a man who lived in a shelter on the site had died of tuberculosis.
Many people were continuously ill and there were frequent deaths, especially in winter when conditions were harsh, residents said .
"Since 1994 we have been voting," said Joshua Komani, 39, a father of five who said he had lived in Egoli for seven years. "We are not foreigners in this country."
Karina Jacobs, 35, a mother of two, said: "I don't want my children to be abused in this area. When it's wet in winter, people die."
Jacobs said she was most worried about her 10-year-old daughter, who has asthma.
Elizabeth Reiners, 51, who is wheelchair-bound, lives in a leaking shack.
She said she was sick and had no one to care for her.
"In winter when it floods, water reaches the bed," said Edward McKenzie, 25, who lives on a disability grant.
Xalipi said he had talked to mayoral committee member in the mayor's office, Dan Plato, more than two weeks ago about the area, but had had no response as to the way forward.
- Cape Argus
At a meeting called by PAC member Phindile Jimmy Xalipi on Monday, the community asked to be moved to dry land and to be provided with the basic services to which all citizens were entitled.
They have invited DA leader Helen Zille, the Western Cape premier-elect, and ANC president Jacob Zuma, incoming national president, to visit the area to check out their conditions first-hand.
| 'My worry is that their children are not getting a proper education' |
Cassiem Alexander, who co-owns the land, said he did not want to evict the informal residents, but stressed that the government should find alternative land.
"My worry is that their children are not getting a proper education, and may end up doing drugs," he said.
The conditions were the worst he had seen yet, he added.
The residents complained that they lived without running water, used buckets for toilets and had no electricity. Their shacks were built on damp ground, resulting in the outbreak of disease, they said. Many were jobless.
During a visit on Monday, residents told of how a man who lived in a shelter on the site had died of tuberculosis.
Many people were continuously ill and there were frequent deaths, especially in winter when conditions were harsh, residents said .
"Since 1994 we have been voting," said Joshua Komani, 39, a father of five who said he had lived in Egoli for seven years. "We are not foreigners in this country."
Karina Jacobs, 35, a mother of two, said: "I don't want my children to be abused in this area. When it's wet in winter, people die."
Jacobs said she was most worried about her 10-year-old daughter, who has asthma.
Elizabeth Reiners, 51, who is wheelchair-bound, lives in a leaking shack.
She said she was sick and had no one to care for her.
"In winter when it floods, water reaches the bed," said Edward McKenzie, 25, who lives on a disability grant.
Xalipi said he had talked to mayoral committee member in the mayor's office, Dan Plato, more than two weeks ago about the area, but had had no response as to the way forward.
- Cape Argus
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