DEAR Editor,-
I refer to the letter in last week’s Herald from Dumile Xolo stating that something might be happening in Masinenge as far as provision of houses by Hibiscus Coast Municipality is concerned.
Masinenge is a festering sore that blights the lives of all who live there in the most appalling conditions. A place of assault, theft, rape and murder, whose unbridled growth multiplies problems on a weekly basis.
As far back as the late nineties when the Margate TLC wrestled with the problem, it has defied solution. Over the years the ANC tried to take advantage of the Masinenge residents’ votes by apportioning it to a Margate ward, but lost the ward. It then allocated it to Uvongo ward and again lost the ward.
Third time lucky for the ANC was allocating Masinenge to ‘far away’ Shelly Beach, managing to muscle a rare seaside ward from the DA by the sheer increase in numbers, mainly from the Eastern Cape, seeking a better life in KZN.
Residents live in the most dreadful conditions with no electricity, running water or waterborne sanitation in tiny shacks and periodic fires and floods add to their misery.
In every election since the establishment of Hibiscus Coast as a municipality in 2000, the ANC has told the people of Masinenge that the building of proper brick and mortar fully-serviced houses would commence shortly after elections.
Those perennial promises have followed the advent of every subsequent election, including the national elections held in May this year.
There are very serious problems with the site of Masinenge, eighty percent of which is undermined by solid bedrock. This makes it hideously expensive to construct infrastructure, as well as to build houses.
The province is well aware of this, but decided that, for political reasons, the project must proceed even if costs cannot be justified and could possibly amount to wasteful expenditure.
Now that a start appears to have been made with proper houses, Hibiscus Coast Municipality needs to inform residents of Masinenge how the houses will be allocated and whether they will have electricity, running water and waterborne sanitation in their homes when they get them.
Because moving from a makeshift shack to a concrete shack is only halfway to a decent house. In the interest of all concerned, surely some consideration must now be given to using a more cost-effective site with a provision of dedicated buses for children to attend school.
DAVE SNASHALL
