‘Mamelodi flood victims’ living in fear of history repeating itself
Flood victims feel hopeless and lost since they are kept in the dark when on when they will be moved to a safer place away from the flood line.
The onset of this year’s rainy season has left the so-called Mamelodi flood victims in fear of their lives. One of the victims, Makwarela Nonga (77) who walks with crutches and stays next to the river banks, said just a few drops of rain were enough to set everyone on edge.
Record spoke to Nonga after the South African weather service has predicted a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms this week.
She is among the more than 700 families who were displaced after heavy rains destroyed their homes in December of last year.
“What we experienced last year has left us in fear and it has taken very long for the authorities to relocate us to a safer place,” said Nonga.
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She said residents would be awake for the whole night because they will never know “what would happen next”. “I have lost everything I had last year.
The only reason I am safe now is that my neighbours helped me to walk up a steep hill with my grandchildren.
“We are tired of empty promises and corruption that always delay the relocation process. We don’t want history to repeat itself,” said Nonga.
December Matlala, a representative of the flood victims, said it was almost 10 months of waiting to be relocated to a safer place as the government promised. Flood victims felt hopeless and lost since they were kept in the dark when it comes to when they are moving to a safer place away from the flood line. The residents were excited when the government announced phase 1 of relocating flood victims, promising to start with those residing next to the flood line as well as those who lost everything when their shacks were swept away.
However, alleged corruption by Tshwane metro officials and delays had since halted the relocation process. “Phase 2 of relocating residents including all the informal settlements around had since being stopped and the rest is empty promises,” said Matlala.
Matlala said they should have been moved by now to a safer place, but today they had nowhere to go. Another representative, Kgaogelo Masemola, said the prediction of showers and thunderstorms has sparked residents’ fear.
“We were hoping the metro would relocate us before the rainy season started as promised. But we are experiencing delays for no apparent reason other than corruption,” said Masemola.
“The relocation process started on 11 July, and was supposed to be done by the end of October,” said Masemola.
He said in the last meeting they held with Tshwane officials they were told that by the end of October they will discuss a way forward with the phase 2 relocation process.
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“We are living in fear. When it rains, we seek refuge with friends and family members because we fear for another flood disaster since most us are still staying next to the river banks,” said Masemola.
Masemola added that the flood victims were angry and wanted action from the metro. He pleaded with authorities to speed up the process to move them to a safe land or identify the empty land and they will make means to relocate there with their own expenses.
Matlala further added that they followed all the right procedures and handed in memorandums, but the “metro seems not to care about our grievances”. He said working together with the metro officials will make the relocation process easier for everyone. The metro has yet to provide comment by the time of publication.
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