Community Neglected to Suffer

Community Alerts/Thokozile Mtambo/Soweto/01/08/18

Its been more than 20yrs now that the community of Snake park “Bhambai ” has been living in a Skwatta camp adjacent to the old tailing dam. They call this community ” Bhambai” because they don’t receive any service delivery from the municipality.

Some of the residents were moved in the year 2002, because it was found that the land was dolomitic and it is surrounded by highly radioactive materials from the old tailing dam. Some were left behind with the hope that they will also come and move them to better housing . Today they still suffer with their children without electricity, Four taps to access water on a daily basis and they are still using the bucket system as their toilets.

Women go and fetch wood in the old tailing every day. There are more than ten rape cases every year in this area. Many suffer and die from lung cancer because of the dust they inhale on daily basis. They are still waiting and hoping that one day the will remember and move them to a better place. By Thokozile Mntambo