Hiding the shame of poverty for 2010

The shacklands of post-apartheid South Africa, which would surely have been seen by tourists coming to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup, will be removed to hide the shame of poverty.

Speaking this week at the second KwaZulu-Natal 2010 sports Indaba, provincial director-general Kwazi Mbanjwa, announced that more than R1,4-billion would be spent in eradicating slums in townships where soccer training camps would be held.

Mbanjwa said more than R22-million would be used to clear shacks at Umlazi near the KwaMnyandu Railway Station.

A further R92-million would be spent in clearing slums in Lamontville, while R1,2-billion would be spent upgrading hostels in KwaMashu.

R112-million would also be spent on rebuilding housing developments in Mpofana and Umsunduzi.

Residents in Mpofana (Mooi River) had complained of sewage problems, as their toilets had not been connected to the main sewerage lines.

Sewage was flowing into residents' yards, down the roads and storm water drains and, ultimately, into the Mooi River.

Plans for the 2010 World Cup include billions of rands being pumped into upgrading transport systems such as the building of new roads in areas which will serve as training camps for visiting teams.

Stadiums which will be used as training grounds include the King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi, Princess Magogo in KwaMashu, Sugar Ray Xulu in Clermont and the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg.

They will be upgraded at a cost of R184,5-million.

About R183-million will also be spent on building multi-purpose sports academies in Port Shepstone, Newcastle and Richards Bay.

"By providing the four district municipalities and eThekwini Metro with suitable and sustainable sports facilities, we want to increase opportunities for them to host the World Cup participants and other sports codes beyond," said Mbanjwa.

He said the use of township stadiums by visiting teams as training sites had led to their decision to redevelop townships and to remove slums.

But the shackdwellers, who say they are unaware of their imminent eviction, have described the government plan as a way of hiding the shame of the real South Africa.

Monica Mjuqu, a shack dweller at KwaMyandu, said the government didn't want visiting tourists to see that millions were being spent on a single event while the rank and file people of the country still lived in poverty.

"They are just ashamed of us and want us out of the way so that visitors coming to the country won't see the conditions we live under," said Mjuqu.

"They know that tourists travelling to the Zwelithini Stadium will come in by train and will not be impressed by the slums. But why hide what we are? If they were truly concerned about us they would have built us houses long ago. They would not have waited for 2010," said Mjuqu.

Sources of income

Mjuqu, who has lived in shacks for 13 years, said housing officials had come to put them on housing lists last year, but that nothing had happened since.

Thembisile Mkhize, who is among the many dwellers who have spaza shops which line KwaMnyandu Station, said the evictions would see them lose their sources of income.

"I survive on this spaza shop. I hope that when they remove us and take us to our new houses, they will also provide us with an area where we can carry on with our business," said Mkhize.

However, provincial government spokesperson Mandla Msomi said the decision to remove slums was part of the government's continuing service delivery programme.

"The issue of slums being removed was there, even before it was announced that SA would host 2010. The 2010 World Cup will not happen in isolation, it will go hand in hand with service delivery," said Msomi.

ethekwini City Manager Mike Sutcliffe said all would be done to ensure that communities that were removed from their shacks were housed nearby.

"We will be building houses in those areas where the shacks will be brought down. Obviously not everyone can be housed in that place, but we will ensure that everyone is located within the vicinity of where their old homes used to be," said Sutcliffe.

"The issue of providing housing to those living in slums has always been there, but we have had to prioritise certain areas due to the World Cup," said Sutcliffe.

Fifa has laid down tough laws about the appearance of host cities during the World Cup.

With the World Cup being screened worldwide, Fifa has instructed that the locations of stadiums have picturesque surroundings.

One Fifa rule, for broadcst states that no cranes or building sites should be visible on any city's skyline during the World Cup. This was one of the reasons the proposed Athlone stadium was turned down.

Cape Town's Green Point, with its backdrop of Table Mountain, was considered to be the perfect location, as opposed to the Cape Flats.

Cities such as Johannesburg have also started evicting inner-city dwellers so that footage shown of South Africa will project a good, clean country.

- Tribune