Residents of the Ezimbuzini informal settlement in Orlando East, Soweto, have called on the government to remove them from the area, fearing that should there be severe flooding, it will destroy the little that they have. This comes after their shacks were flooded last night following a storm that hit most areas in Johannesburg last night.
PLEADING FOR HELP
Speaking to ZiMoja, a resident Sikho Zulu (51) whose shack was once submerged in the nearby river, urged the government to move them to a safer place. "I live with my wife and our five children. Whenever it rains, we have nowhere to go because this whole area starts flooding." He said he gave up on renting when all landlords complained that his family was too big to accommodate, hence the decision to move into an informal settlement. "In all honesty, this is no place for human habitat. We don't have water, electricity or toilets. We are just forced to be here because of our circumstances. I feel sorry for my kids; they deserve better than this. I can survive in this environment; they shouldn't have to," he said. He said his wife is a domestic worker and he is a street patroller and would appreciate any help from the government. "If they can just move us to a different area and provide us with basic services, we will be fine. We can move with our shacks; it's ok, but we can't be here anymore," Zulu added.
IT'S BAD
Phakamani Mzizi (32) who is also a resident said the rainy weather forces them to think fast. "You never know how badly it will hit or how much the damage will be, but you need to think on your feet otherwise you will sleep while standing because all your belongings will be soaking wet," he said. He said because of yesterday's flooding, he was forced to open holes in his shack so the water could flow out. If I didn't think fast, all my belongings would have floated in the water." MMC for Human Settlements in the City of Johannesburg Mlungisi Mabaso told ZiMoja that they will be visiting the area tomorrow. "I have scheduled a meeting with the local councillor and will be going to Ezimbuzini tomorrow to see what we can do," Mabaso said.
