Local pensioners beg for basic services
It is also a reflection of how much work still needs to be done to make sure that everyone enjoys basic human rights that came with democracy 30 years ago.
Sara Dhlamini (91) is a pensioner struggling to get basic services that most of her neighbours are getting.
She has been a Protea South resident since 1993 but has not received even one basic service that other South Africans are entitled to such as housing and sanitation.
Her neighbours, Emily Mohapi (102) and Aletta Mbuli (74) are also facing the same struggles.
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They are facing the struggle of using paraffin, not having running water in the house and having to use an outside toilet everyday.
Even worse for Mbuli, she got injured in 2020 and since then she has been struggling to get a wheelchair which has made life even more difficult for her.
Sibongile Makgoga, daughter of Sara Dhlamini said, “I have tried to help my mother with this situation because it really breaks my heart to see her living in such harsh conditions.
“I feel like we don’t have enough power because we don’t have money. I even went to the Protea North offices but they said they can’t help my mother because she does not want to move.”
These are just a few of many residents of Protea South living in unpleasant conditions.
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It is also a reflection of how much work still needs to be done to make sure that everyone enjoys basic human rights that came with democracy 30 years ago.
The plight of these pensioners was brought to the fore when the DA visited the area late last month as part of Human Rights Day commemorations.
The DA Chairperson for Ward 10, Maureen Mnisi escalated the matter to her top leadership in the province and a decision was taken to visit the area to assess the situation.
As a result, DA’s Gauteng premier candidate, Solly Msimanga and his team visited Mbuli’s home to hand her a brand-new wheelchair to make life a little bearable for her.
“I am so happy I don’t even know how to thank Mr. Solly. I am so grateful and may God bless him,” said Mbuli after receiving her new wheelchair.
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Protea South is a part of Soweto that has a lot of informal settlements, high rate of unemployment, poor service delivery and crime is also a challenge in the area.
“It’s sad hearing that government institutions like the clinic are doing this to our people. Gogo Aletta was told to fetch her wheelchair in January after a long time of waiting and she made means of hiring transport with her pension money only to get to Baragwanath Hospital to be told that they can’t find a wheelchair for her,” said Msimanga.
