Our lives continue to count for nothing as the Vusimuzi community loses everything in floods

24 February 2022
Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA Press statement

Our lives continue to count for nothing as the Vusimuzi community loses everything in floods

This year marks twenty-eight years since the evil system of apartheid was abolished after a long and very hard fight by black South Africans who resisted oppression with great courage. However, that struggle has been betrayed by the ANC.

One of the many consequences of that betrayal is that millions of people continue to have to live in shacks, under very difficult and dangerous conditions.

Recently the residents of Vusimuzi in Tembisa were hit by heavy floods that came as a result of the heavy rains in parts of Johannesburg. When the floods subsided, it was like the aftermath of a war zone.

Many people were left destitute and have nowhere to go. There has not been any practical response from government officials even though there has been a visit by the mayor and the MEC in the province. People have lost everything including very important documents that were taken by the floods.

More than fifty households have been affected by these floods, including those who live along the river bank. Some people were saved by residents after they were almost washed away by the floods. An old woman who is living with disability was saved by residents as water was in her home and she was unable to move. She has been waiting for a house since 1999. She believes that her house was built and then sold to someone who has money. This has become a norm in this country as many people who were supposed to be relocated to their houses continue to live under very difficult and risky conditions in shack settlements because their houses have been sold to people with money.

Public housing is being commodified via the corruption of the ruling party.

Instead of addressing the housing crisis the ward councillor Selwana just blames the people for building their houses along the river banks. The visit by the officials from the City and the province has not yielded any results. One of the women who was saved by some community members when she almost drowned with her baby in her hand thanked a young man who was nearby and saw them fighting the heavy floods in their home: “I have never seen a government that does not care about its people like this government”. She said that during the December holidays when they go home their families expect them to come back with something in their hands, but they don’t know the conditions that they live under in the big city.

The lives of people living in shack settlement continue to count for nothing. We continue to live under these inhuman conditions twenty-eight years later after apartheid. The greedy politicians do not care about us. They only care about enriching themselves and their families.

In addressing the residents Melita Ngcobo, the chairperson of Vusumuzi, told the people that they must realise that they are the government. They must wake up and rebuild their lives. They must build their power from below. She said that she has been trying to engage with the municipality on the issues that the community is facing for many years. No one from government has listened to the plight of the people. Instead there have been empty promises that has not been fulfilled. This is why the residents have occupied their own land, build and managed their own creche, and occupied land for farming and built a thriving urban agriculture project.

The situation right now in Vusumuzi is in a very terrible state. The community only has itself to look after itself. There is no help from the state. We are calling for people with the means to be in solidarity with the self-organisation of the residents to offer what support they can. The residents need building materials in a form of congregated iron, poles, clothing and blankets.

The people of Vusumuzi in Tembisa need us as the poor and the working class to put whatever help we have to assist in this very devastating situation.

Contacts:

Melita Ngcobo – 079 630 8005
Thapelo Mohapi – 074 774 4219
Snenhlanhla Mncanyana – 073 832 3331