Fire victims from the Covid informal settlement in Mfuleni desperately need identity documents. They are concerned that they might not be able to cast their ballots in the upcoming elections on Wednesday 29 May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Residents lost their documents during the fire that ravaged the area two months ago. (\u201cShack fire victims crying for help\u201d, City Vision<\/span>, 4 April).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mfundo Ganeko, community leader, told City Vision<\/span> residents feel as if they are not fully South Africans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ganeko said they communicated with the local councillor, requesting him to organise the Department of Home Affairs officials to come to the area and help them with new documents. Their pleas have fallen on deaf ears, he claimed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur concern is that we are not going to vote during the elections because we don\u2019t have identity documents. Some children lost their birth certificates during the fire. Some of us can\u2019t even go and look for odd jobs because we don\u2019t have IDs,\u201d he stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Ganeko, the majority of the residents are unable to go to Home Affairs on their own because they simply don\u2019t have money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He said more than 100 people lost their identity documents during the inferno.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cApproximately 170 adults don\u2019t have ID books and 42 children are without birth certificates. We thought that by now the Home Affairs officials would have already come to make our identity books. But we can see now we are running out of time. We want to vote because we registered,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another community leader, Azola Dywili, urged the City also to provide them with temporary toilets and communal taps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She said they have to go and ask people from the neighbouring areas for help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have toilets and water here. We have to go and ask the people in the formal houses if we want to relieve ourselves or else we go to the bush. When it comes to water, we are forced to go and beg them. We have been staying in this area for more than four years now but there are no temporary toilets and communal taps,\u201d said Dywili, adding that their neighbours are getting tired of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ward 114 Ernest Madikane said he is aware of the plight faced by Covid residents. He stated that he informed the Department of Home Affairs about their dilemma but they never reverted to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am aware of that. They informed me and I sent an email to the Department of Home Affairs asking them to come with their mobile offices to assist our residents. Initially, the Home Affairs officials told me that their offices were closed (that was after the shack fire incident occurred). Then I reminded them again last week but they didn\u2019t get back to me till now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is frustrating what the department (Home Affairs) is doing. I understand the Covid residents\u2019 feelings. It\u2019s been a while now waiting for the department. And there is nothing you can do without an ID,\u201d said Madikane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, he promised to follow up with the department again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Madikane stated that the issue of basic services in Covid is a challenge. He said the City has no budget for the area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe City is playing politics. It\u2019s almost five years since the area was established and not a single temporary toilet and communal tap has been installed. I raised it in the City\u2019s chamber but my proposal was crushed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhenever we raise issues for our communities as an opposition, the majority party outnumbers us when it comes to voting,\u201d explained Madikane. However, he said they will keep fighting for the betterment of the community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fire victims from the Covid informal settlement in Mfuleni desperately need identity documents. They are concerned that they might not be able to cast their ballots in the upcoming elections on Wednesday 29 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