White squatters happy in Munsieville
Welcome to Pango Camp, Coronation Squatters' new home, where skin colour makes no difference to being a good neighbour.
In December last year, 300 white illegal squatters were removed by Mogale City Local Municipal, and some 200 squatters where given new homes in Munsieville, while the others decided to go to Kleinvallei.
Even though they have the best views of the Magaliesberg mountains in town, life for about 200 squatters is still pretty much the same.
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The remaining 100 squatters went to live in Kleinvallei, a project of the Boervrouliga which is aimed at finding a solution to the crises of poverty, unemployment and squatter camp existence that the white Afrikaner Ethnic Minority is faced with.
Irene and Hugo van Niekerk, chosen by the squatters as the voice of their community, now calling themselves the Pango Camp, are quite happy living in Munsieville and they don’t understand why people are afraid to enter the township.
“When we moved in last year, our new neighbours helped us to move our belongings and offered us mattresses for those who did not have,” Irene explained.
When generous donations are made to the Pango Camp, Irene takes it in and divides the food and other goods into groups. The women with children is first is line, then the elderly, then the couples with no children and finally the single men and women.
“We always have more than enough to give, so other needy residents around Pango Camp sometimes also help themselves to some food,” says Irene.
When you enter the dusty area where Pango Camp is situated, a double-storey corrugated iron shack greets you.
“This is our home, but is also serves as a community centre and church,” Hugo explained.
Mogale City built more of these shacks, made up of corrugated iron held together with wooden beams and tarpaulin laid out on the ground. One of the Pango Camp residents, Christene du Toit and her partner Attie Erasmus laid down carpets to keep their home warm.
“We have to face the circumstances that brought us here. But we are thankful for Irene’s hospitality and the help she gives us. If you don’t have food, she will make a plan to feed your family,” Christene said.
With about one mobile toilet per two households and about six taps with running water, the Pango Camp seems well off. Irene says the living conditions are pretty much the same as when they lived in Coronation Park.
“All we might need is gas stoves. Cooking your food with a fire is a difficult thing to do in the cold of winter.”
Click here to view more photos of the white squatters in Munsieville.
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