Life in Masiphumelele
Masiphumelele is one of the smaller townships of the Western Cape – about 38,000 residents. Most of the people have moved here from the rural parts of the Eastern Cape to look for work. Many still have family in the Eastern Cape who they will try to support if they can themselves find a job.
Masiphumelele was officially adopted as part of Cape Town in 1992
and it is no longer an 'informal settlement'. The City has provided
many basic amenities – water, sewerage, electricity and some paved roads.
There is a primary and secondary school and a health clinic. There are
a number of brick and block built houses but about 90% of residents live
in shacks.
Living in a shack? – until you see it for yourself, it is difficult
to appreciate, even with the best of descriptions. Here follows our guide
to getting started:
First, find a plot of land on which to build your shack – not easy
because every square metre of land seems to be occupied. If you are very
lucky you may find a corner somewhere that is not locally owned and for
which you will not have to pay a ground rent. More often, you will find
a space in a plot owner’s garden [yard] and for between R350 to R450
per month you can rent.
Now find some ‘building materials’. Anything will do. For example;
old wooden pallets on-end for the walls with plastic sheeting nailed to
the outside to keep out the wind and cardboard cartons pinned to the inside
to keep out the cold. A few sheets of corrugated tin and some wood to support
it are needed for the roof, as are a few big stones on top to help keep
it place in the Cape storms.
Next, scrape the earth floor flat and try to find an old piece of
rubber-backed carpet which may help keep out the damp.
Cooking – with a camping gas stove or possibly electricity. If you
must take your electricity from the plot owner’s supply, it will
cost about R100 per month. If you can get connected direct, it will cost
less.
If all you can afford is a single room shack, then you have enough
space for one double bed, something on which to stand your cooktop,
a small refrigerator, probably with an old TV on top, and some cartons
and suitcases
for all your worldly goods.
Water from a stand pipe and a toilet will be within 50 metres and
shared with many others – queuing is a way of life.
Heating in the winter is necessary and the cheapest form is a paraffin
heater – the shack is not well ventilated in any event and paraffin
heaters put out heat and a lot of moisture. So they keep you warm, but they
contribute to the many respiratory health problems people in Masiphumelele
suffer.
Your shack will be in very close proximity to many others – a few
centimetres - and this brings a need to be neighbourly and to help look
after one another’s shack and possessions. A robbery can be devastating
for people with so little. A fire can spread at lightening speed and become
a disaster for many. Keeping a good look-out is also a way of life.
Most Masiphumelele families, of up to 5 or 6, live in one or two
roomed shacks similar to the above description. Sleeping is by rota in the bed.
But what of life?......
A typical Masiphumelele family: If they are lucky the mother will
have some domestic work cleaning houses - say 3 days per week which
pays about R1400/month. Father will have no permanent job, so, every
day, before 6am, he walks to the big road junction outside the township
where,
with
hundreds of others, he stands hoping to be given a day’s work by
passing trades people. He may earn R1500/month.
The family; 3 children, one pre-school for whom they have a place in
a crèche [R150/month] to allow them to work or look for work and two children at
the primary school. There are no fees for the school but they must find
money for uniforms and school meals etc.
Living in the shack costs them R550/month, plus transport for the Mother
to get to work at R250/month and then there are clothes, shoes
and toiletries to be found. Not much left over for food – perhaps R1500/month for
5 people – R10 per day per person.
Not surprisingly, most families rarely eat meat or fish – on Fridays at about 5pm they can be found buying food for the weekend and chicken skins and chicken feet is often the best they can manage.
Most people are
hungry, most of the time.
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