The Labour Community Media Forum’s (LCMF) dialogue at the Alex-SanKopano Community Centre placed the real struggles of Alexandra residents at its centre.
The dialogue, held on December 11, was a rallying cry to the community members to stand together and fight the challenges crippling the township—instead of suffering alone, as they have for years.
Read more: Alexandra holds a dialogue on migrants’ rights and social cohesion
Simon Ramapuputla from Workers’ World Media Productions, an organisation spearheading the LCMF initiative, recognised the power of unity in confronting challenges, noting that in a united community, there’s a pool of expertise to pull from to address certain issues rather than people acting as individuals.
He emphasised that a united community that is determined to discuss its ailing issues and come up with solutions has enough power to change Alexandra’s downward trajectory.
“Community must have space to raise their issues and come up with solutions,” he emphasised. Among the burning issues raised were issues of safety and crime, gender-based violence, water and sanitation crises, poverty, unemployment, housing shortages, land disputes and severe overcrowding.
Also read: City Social Development engages Alexandra residents in community dialogue
The dialogue, Ramapuputla explained, was inclusive and not tied to any political party. He said it is purely about the people of Alexandra and the issues that keep them trapped.
He noted that it builds on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s National Dialogue launched in August, and gives residents a chance to remind the government of the many promises made to the people of Alexandra.
He said the dialogue would lead to the formation of a strong steering committee drawn from the community itself. This committee, as he explained, will hold government and other stakeholders accountable and guide the next steps in addressing the community’s ailing issues.
“It will assist in engaging with other stakeholders and chart the way forward. Maybe people don’t know where to go for help,” Ramapuputla said.
Even long-time land claimants who have grown tired and hopeless after years of empty promises were assured that this time would be different because the power lies in collective unity.
The community is urged to show up in numbers at the Alex-SanKopano Community Centre for another dialogue on December 15, at 10:00, to be part of building a stronger, united Alexandra.
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