MARIKANA IN KWA –THEMA EXT3 by Sandile Nombeni

Marikana  is an informal settlement that is situated in Kwa –thema and is development of relocation of stands. The project of stands re-allocation began in 2012 around October and its aim was to solve the problem of five families living in one stand. Kwa –thema ext3 was developed around 1996 ,after the local government of k/t had closed down a cemetery in 1993 because the area is a wet land , tombstones were flooding with ground water and were sinking.

In 2011 the local government of kwa-thema anouced the project of installing services (water & sanitation ),and the separation of stands , some  members of the community saw  a chance of making money ,so the community members started to sell the house stands illegally . around 2000 shacks were built in the area, for you to build a shack there you had to pay an amount which rated from R1500.00 up wards. The unfortunate part was some of the community members who bought stands lived there because of desperation of houses. After the four days the local government and housing officials went there to allocate stands to the relevant beneficiaries and to their surprise the area was over populated with shacks . the members  of community who took money was no were to be found when needed to explain who allocated people in the area. Both housing &local government officials called for help of the red ants to forcefully remove all the unlawfully allocated shacks. The battle between red ants and the community began which led to the name Marikana.

 Today community members are crying for help because their desperation has put their lives in danger of living in harsh conditions(wet land & tailings dam)with no electricity, other basic services . one of the major problems this community is facing is sinking, flooding shacks, iligal connections of electricity.