Many people are cursing this month as they find themselves flooded due to heavy rains accompanied by strong winds.
Some had to vacate their homes and their belongings were damaged in the process. I feel sorry, particularly for those who stay in the informal settlements, because the rains have caused a lot of damage to their shacks.
On Monday 15 July, I visited Emsindweni informal settlement in Makhaza to assess their conditions and damage caused by the weather. Some owners had abandoned their shacks. It was sad to see women and children carrying bags, walking away from their shacks in search of new places to stay because of floods.
I was moved when I came across one of the old women carrying a plastic bag with clothes. She mentioned that she did know where she would sleep because her shack was flooded.
I’ve been to some of the informal settlements in different areas, including Covid (Mfuleni), Qanduqandu (Greenpoint), Mpolweni (Makhaza), Pandemic Square (Nkanini), Gushindoda (Delft) etc.
One thing in common is that they are all on wetlands and they were built by force. You ask yourself how do they survive when it is raining and who to blame for the mess they find themselves in?
They decided to illegally occupy the land.
In most cases, the municipality tried to evict them but they refused to move. However, when things are bad they run to the City for assistance.
I am cautiously aware that this might not be the right time to raise such a topic, but the truth must be told. When the City of Cape Town warned them about the dangers of moving into such areas they resisted the alarm. In some instance they went as far as hiring lawyers to represent them to remain in these areas.
Now, the same City that warned them must intervene. It must divert money that has been earmarked for other projects to the flooded areas.
Looking at areas like Qanduqandu, Empolweni and Pandemic Square you can see that the areas are wetlands. People acted irrationally and erected their shacks. I’m not condoning land invasion, but I’d advise anyone who intends to move into any open space to assess it before move in.
In Khayelitsha alone, there are over 10 informal settlements that were established during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of those areas are on serviced sites, with streets and underground infrastructure.
I can openly say that some land invaders are against the development. The reality is that all the money the City spent to develop or upgrade these areas is wasted.
As human beings, we need to take responsibility for our actions. I understand that some people are in need of the shelter but there are those who went there with certain intentions.
To me it, doesn’t make sense for someone who drives an SUV to stay in the informal settlement.
This is someone who is able to pay rent as a backyarder or somebody who could easily afford to buy a house.
We need to learn to take responsibility for our actions. Those people mustn’t blame anyone, but blame themselves.
