Having had the pleasure of meeting the residents of Soweto on Sea I was amazed by their resilience and happiness in the face of what has to be one of the biggest failings of the NMMM. 6 months ago 43 families were told their house roofs were not of an adequate standard so they would be replaced. Promptly a contractor was employed through the tender system??? and the roofs removed temporary shelters were erected in the yards for the families whilst this work was supposed to happen. and then the months passed and the rains came and still no roofs ….service delivery at it’s worst…perhaps, but did these residents fall into the trap of setting fire to tyres and stoning vehicles … no under the chairmanship of Mbulelo Nqontsha they decided to do it the correct way and peaceful protests were arranged with just a few people going to see the local councillor who has yet to set foot in Soweto on Sea….. they were promised that the work would recommence now now……so the months went on then Mbulelo met Theunis Pienaar from Kingfisher FM and the plight was highlighted on the radio and internet. I then picked up on it and also tried to do something for them, which is a drop in the ocean to what they need. The contractor finally came out of nowhere to say that all the 43 houses would have their roofs by 21st December, and yes they do have roofs now…. but the contractor says they can not afford to put on gutters or water tanks as the roofs cost more than expected, the brick work supporting the roofs is also not finished and the prepared cement is duly left to solidify now in the holiday month to be useless when the contractor finally goes back to work.
Of course all the rain ruined all the furniture and built in cupboards inside the houses too, but there is yet no plan to compensate for these losses, although the deputy Mayor is supposedly on the case, I hope the old residents some as old as 86 will live to see this compensation. I also went to see some of the ‘finished’ houses for myself…..well they had not thought to include bathroom facilities originally so bathroom/toilets have been added …in the kitchen…or childs bedrooms…..there are no plans available for any of the residents to see if the houses are a) as big as their municipality tax states or what they should have included. There is evidence that some of the houses are not as big as intended as the foundations are larger that the houses built.
Enough of that part, then we get to the appeal for help in this Christmas season, let us spread some joy and happiness, well thank goodness for the less well off, as my organisation received help and clothing from the not so affluent in the northern areas through a founder of the POPS Foundation and from Productions Pub and Grub/Venus girls in Newton Park, and myself and a lovely man Thys from Seaview, it seems everybody else has forgotten Christmas and what it should mean. My appeal for any food must have fallen on deaf ears too as only I donated any and that wasn’t much, no big supermarket chains came onboard no rich elite, well I hope you all enjoy your Christmas cheer and parties the people of Soweto on Sea will still sing and be happy but also have that empty feeling in their stomach. there is still time to make a difference call me and donate food and I will arrange to get it to them for Christmas, there must be some Good Samaritans around and if I am inundated as I hope to be please someone donate your time and transport and come with me these people are worth it and the children are our future. My contact details are 0849606258.
Regards
David Hessey
