Robertson informal Settlements, Western Cape.

On Freedom Rural Women’s Assembly Western Cape joined the residents of three (3) different informal settlements in Robertson who gathered to raise their concerns about the different challenges they face in their informal settlements. Amongst the issues the communities discussed was the poor service delivery by their municipalities. The residents didn’t feel the need to celebrate the Freedom Day because most of the informal settlement residents still don’t have proper housing, water, sanitation electricity, or we can say without any basic rights that comes with freedom. 

Some residents have been promised proper housing since the beginning of democracy in 1994 and they are still waiting for the promise that was never kept by the government. It was sad to hear from the residents that many people who voted for democracy dies without benefiting from the fruits of their fight to the freedom that everyone is claiming hence while they still don’t think that they are free. Some died in old, torn up shack without owning proper houses.  Farmworkers were evicted and dumped on these informal settlements without water, sanitation, electricity, and no one seem to care about their rights or freedom. The youth couldn’t hold their sadness about their current situation of unemployment.  They really wish the government can hear their cry and give them jobs or self-employment opportunities.

The residents believe that it is high time that they stand together as the community to bring change for the next generation.