Al Jama-ah’s President and Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks, went on sight visits to farm communities in Paarl, Drakenstein Municipality in the Cape Winelands District, Western Cape.
The visits to the farm communities was part of a build up to the Community Dialogue event which will be hosted by the Deputy Minister and National Department of Social Development (NDSD) on Wednesday, 11 December 2024 in Paarl.
The Community Dialogue comes as a response to some socio-economic challenges and the high levels of evictions in Drakenstein.Residents living at Nantes Agricultural farm on the R45 in Paarl, told the Deputy Minister how an 18-year-old girl, who went into early labor at home, died after she gave birth. The ambulance could not enter the property, because there is only a pedestrian alley. to enter the property. The current farm owner is ignoring a court ruling that he should construct a road to enable residents to park their vehicles on the property and to allow other emergency vehicles to enter.
The residents are also rejecting the private electricity boxes installed in their homes by the owner, claiming they only receive 10 units for R50. Furthermore, they are denied their rights to benefit from the Drakenstein Municipality’s free electricity units for the indigent communities.
At Plankies Informal Settlement, New Rest in Wellington, 25 families who were evicted from Soetendal farm in 2018, are still living in squalor. They were dumped on the land by the Drakenstein Municipality and provided with tin shacks. All they want are houses, security and safety. Since they were forced to settle there, several other homeless families started to build their structures too. The informal settlement now houses more than 100 families and the Soetendal evicted families say they have little hope of getting houses soon.
Al Jama-ah’s President and Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks, and Drakenstein Councilor Ahmed Stulweni, treaded their way over the uneven alley to the homes of residents on Nantes farm.
Ms Lenishia Frank, Women on Farms Project: Women’s Health and Empowerment Coordinator was also present addressing Nantes residents.
Mrs Devedin Dreyer, a fourth generation on Nantes farm, spoke about their challenges.
Mr John Karelse told the tragic story how his daughter’s newborn baby died because the ambulance could not access the property.
