RDP disgrace

Getting an RDP house is a dream for most South Africans because it is the only way for them to live in better conditions.
In 2009 a project was initiated by the Lekwa Municipality to build RDP houses in Thuthukani and most people were excited that they are getting houses and that was a dream come true.
However, people were disappointed because the houses were not what they had expected.
Some of the houses were not complete when they were told they can move in and they had to complete the job themselves.
“I was so happy I finally got my RDP house, but I discovered there was no power and water when I moved in,” a resident said.
Most people moved in despite the problems, hoping that the municipality will fix the problems, but nothing has been done yet.
Some houses have electricity, but the residents can not use it because the prepaid meters are not registered.
“We do not have water.

When I moved in, I had no water and I had to connect a pipe to the water meter to supply water to my house,” an elderly said.
In some houses, a water meter is shared between three houses.
“They want us to pay rent, how are we going to pay rent if I share my meter with three houses,” a local said.
“I am not going to pay rent because I don’t have any service I can say I am paying for and I live the same way as people in informal settlements,” another one complained.
The whole area is flooding with sewage water and water from leaking pipes.
According to residents, the pipe has been leaking for sometime.

“We are living in sewage,” an elderly complained.

There is a sewage pipe that has been leaking for over three months next to his yard.
According to the resident, he has to spray clean water daily on the sewage to stop the smell.

“I had to open up trenches to prevent the water from entering my yard.
“And the ward councillor has been promising he will send people to fix the sewage, but until today, he has never done that.”
The residents’ complaints were heard by Eskom and they sent contract workers to fix the sewage last Thursday.
The elderly who stays not far from the leaking sewage, was happy.
“When I saw these people fixing the sewerage, I was happy because I was tired of the smell in my yard and now I will be able to enjoy my food without the smell,” he said.

According to one of the workers, people complained to the company that they have children and they are getting sick because of the water and the smell.
According to the residents, the area is the property of the government and does not belong to Eskom.
The residents are concerned because the municipality does not do anything for them.

“They don’t do anything here.

Sometimes I feel as if we were dumped here because this is an RDP area.

We don’t have most of the services people who live in RDP houses have,” a local said.

 

The place does not have proper roads.
According to the residents, when it rains, it is difficult for cars to enter the area.
“We do not have garbage removal services and we have to dump anywhere,” a local said.

According to the community, the municipality told them they are not going to remove the garbage because they are not paying rent.
The residents’ plea is that the municipality should provide them with the basic services, only then they will pay rent.
“It is not that I don’t want to pay rent.

I want to pay rent but I can’t until the municipality gives us all the basic services such as water, electricity and fix the sewage leaks,” a woman said.

“I can’t even use the toilet because I don’t have water.

My children have to struggle every morning before they go to school because there is no water and electricity to keep them warm,” another woman said.
“The ward councillor does not care about us because there is nothing he is doing to better our living conditions,” a local said.
“I did not register to vote and I am not going to vote until the municipality addresses the problems we have,” a resident said.
Mr Sipho Mkwanazi, spokesman of the Lekwa Muncipality, said he will comment next week.