DEAR Editor,-
I wonder if the KZN premier and national president are aware of an ‘independent state’ called Masinenge, which is completely exempt from the rule of law or by-laws.
Criminal activity is rampant and theft of electricity is absolutely the rule of thumb.
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And cable thieves are becoming aggressive and, worse, are armed as well.
They will not be challenged or stopped.
Eskom has done nothing to prevent cable theft, the police don’t care and no one dares venturing into the settlement to query anything.
On top of this is the incessant loud, unbearable music that emanates from illegally-run shebeens – running on illegal electrical connections.
This goes on all night every Friday and sometimes on Saturday nights.
Calls to protection services are mostly unanswered, but when I did get through last Friday, I was informed ‘Sorry, Masinenge is an informal settlement and by-laws do not apply.’
Wonderful. So Masinenge wins.
I would love to know how a settlement with roads, electricity, a water supply and concrete flats, can be termed an informal settlement?
Furthermore, the people of Masinenge are generally law-abiding citizens – they work hard and pay taxes.
Every time they board a taxi or buy alcohol, they pay taxes.
The government has let these people down. They are obliged to live in these ‘informal settlements’ because the state does not provide housing for them and taxis cost them a fortune daily.
The flats built in Masinenge are not for the shack dwellers because outsiders are brought in.
There are some nice, luxury vehicles parked outside these so-called RDP housing units.
Shacks are growing exponentially and so is the demand for electricity.
Why are authorities being flouted like this by an autonomous state run by criminals.
I am sure Masinenge is not the only one.
MARTINE BLACKLER
Uvongo
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