Cape Town - Ever wondered how exotic locations such as Barcelona, France and Taiwan became the names of local informal settlements?
Residents offered some explanation about the names last week, pointing out that conditions in them did not quite match the famous names.
Barcelona informal settlement in Gugulethu was named after the Spanish city because some residents wanted to draw international attention to the plight of the people in the area situated adjacent to the N2, said resident Mongami Mbili.
“It was around 1993 when I arrived here and there were several shacks, not many of them. This place was occupied by people who were mostly backyard dwellers from various areas, and some who were living with their parents and looking for their own place,” said Mbili.
A stone’s throw from Barcelona is the Europe informal settlement in Nyanga. Resident Thanduxolo Temba said the name simply surfaced - then it stuck.
“Europe has existed since 1992. It was formed by people who were mainly from the township area called Lusaka. This place was a dumping site, and people cleaned it up and erected their structures. Committees were then formed. It has grown fast over the years,” said Temba.
In Khayelitsha, France informal settlement was named after residents from Site B were given the go-ahead to occupy the open ground near OR Tambo Hall in 1997.
“People were told they could build on the land the same weekend Bafana Bafana qualified for the World Cup in France for the first time. There was a national campaign Siyaya eFrance (We are going to France).
“Residents were overjoyed and decided to name this place as a reminder of that moment,” said Sithembele Nongauza.
He said residents were promised development, but 18 years down the line the place is still the same.
The city also has its own Marikana, which is situated in Philippi. Marikana was informally named after the Rustenburg township where striking miners were killed during a clash with police almost three years ago.
“There were few shacks in that land before people from various places came and occupied it. Most of the people who stay here were backyarders,” said community leader Xolani Joja. He said it was named Marikana because residents were evicted many times and their building material taken away.
“We clashed with the police. They used rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades, but we never backed down. We kept fighting until the end. Now this place belongs to the people. This place is home to many people,” Joja said.
About a kilometre from France, backyarders from TR Section and Site C in Khayelitsha illegally occupied land and named it Azania.
Their occupation did not last long as the land owner, arms manufacturer Denel, obtained an eviction court order.
Xolani Jack, a former TR resident, said:
“I named the place Azania and other residents liked the name. We named it after Azania because this is our country. We are the people of Azania.”
Adjacent to Mitchells Plain is the Siqalo informal settlement, which is home to more than 1 200 families.
The settlement, on private land, has existed for less than five years.
“Siqalo means beginning. This place was a forest and people used to dump here.
“There were a few people from Tafelsig in Mitchells Plain living here too. People who were backyard dwellers could no longer afford rent and identified this land.
“It was named by residents. This land is not suitable for us to live on, but we have nowhere else to go,” said resident Sinazo Tempele.
siyavuya.mzantsi@inl.co.za
- Cape Times
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