Diepkloof Hostel dwellers have lambasted MEC for Human Settlements Lebogang Maile's visit, saying that he came unprepared and shouldn't have bothered coming because he said nothing tangible. Residents are still fuming following Monday's protest, demanding proper infrastructure as their hostel units are on the verge of collapsing. The unit walls are leaking, have cracks, have holes on the floor and to make matters worse, they are still using the bucket system.

DWELLERS DISAPPOINTED 

The Hostel induna Dumisani Mncube said he was very disappointed by the MEC's response. "We were supposed to have a meeting with the mayor on Tuesday but he didn't come, now the MEC is here and telling us that they still need to assess the situation and we must have a meeting. It's like he had nothing to say. The MEC should have stayed at home. He shouldn't have come here. He said nothing. He didn't give us something that make sense," said Mncube. He said because the MEC promised to come back on Thursday to have a meeting with them, until then they will have to halt the protest. "Our demands from the government are not many. The government must build houses. Our houses are falling. It is painful as a leader of the hostel to see the state of some units. They can collapse at any time.The community is ready to face off with police when they protest. If we don't anything, we are going to die inside our collapsing houses. We would rather be killed by the police than by our falling houses," Mncube added.

'HE WAS BABALAASED'

Sibongiseni Khoza, the chairperson of the hostel, said it seemed like the MEC was hungover and hadn't even taken a bath. "He came here to waste our time, he didn't even address the community. He had nothing tangible to tell us. I'm angered by his behaviour. I don't even know what I'm going to say to the people." Khoza said the MEC told him that his department did not have money for hostel refurbishments and said promised to come back on Thursday. "What is he coming to do here? Will he have the funds then? We are confused because I really didn't hear what he was saying and this will cause division among us because the community is expecting responses. I still say we are not violent but we will wait until Thursda, otherwise, we will continue with our protest if there's no response." Khoza said.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE ENOUGH SINCE 1994

Maile said it was hard for the government because they are working with moving targets. "Since 1994, this government has built more than 1,3 million houses, surely you can't say it has not done anything. As it continues to build, we have more and more people coming in. It's a moving target so you can build houses, provide infrastructure but more people come. The induna can tell you I'm sure when he came here, he was alone with no kids but now, there's nieces, cousins and a whole family, however, this unit was only meant for him." Maile said the hostel dwellers were complaining about water and electricity. "We have been trying but clearly the community is saying it's not enough," he said.