sterkwaterfarm: DARKNESS OF THE COMMUNITY[sterkwater]

sterkwaterfarm: DARKNESS OF THE COMMUNITY[sterkwater]: STERKWATER is the farm being bought by angloplatinum in 1997 for the purpose of resettlement of the communities affected by their operati...

ILLEGAL DUMPING SPOTS

What i observed in this community of sterkwater farm which were relocated for purpose of their ancestral land for mining operation,were the neglection of proper provision of adeguate service delivery,as environment is totaly irritating and which doesn't match with the way the basic infrastructure of this community suppose to be.

Residents of this community claim that anglo-platinum's responsibility for the maintenance and development of this infrastructure as the project sponsor for relocating this community from the former Ga-pila village nine years ago.

On my sitetrack,i found that most residents litter rubbish all over,as there is no specific legal dumping site area made for this community.Evidently,i noticed several hot spots of illegal dumpings of various objects like nappies and various toxic elements.

The majority of community members indicated that their livestock are in danger and no were to run as this dumpings done even in the river,streams and valleys where livestock drink wat

Children seen playing in the midst of this dumpings with thrown nappies and spray cans which are toxic to the ecosystem.In my research,i found that the majority of households in this settlement are unemployed and therefore unable on their own to affort the operations and maintenance costs of such infrastructure

Many of the residents claim that anglo-platinum is resposible for such service delivery as initialy provided this community with waste removals to avoid illegal dumps.Recently residents acknowledged that those dust bins stolen,therefore this prevent from moving proper litter collection

With my point of view,it is the responsibility of the mine and government to ensure that pollution is brought under control and to provide incentives for better practice.For their past,local people must be helped to plan local resource use and to manage and conserve their environment for the benefit of the future GENERATION.

By Daniel ''MDANZO'' Maphoto

POOR ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL LITERACY AT GAPILASTERKWATER

Under apartheid,african living in rural areas were denied educational opportunities to an even greater extend than those in urban areas.

Since the former gapila village being went under the relocation process activities several years ago nearly from 1991 during apartheid era,the relevation of the 1993 lease agreement being entered
into by and between Mapela Tribal Authority on behalf of the 29 villages and potgietersrus platinum mine [presently named mogalakwena mine]for the economic lifetime open pit mine around mapela in mokopane [was potgietersrus],left the most affected villages in ''Darkhole'',more especialy gapila residents presently at sterkwater farm.Saidby the middle age man
[anonymously],who tells during my interview that gapila was the first negotiated resettlement of its kind in the REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA in which it was quitly became a highly politicised process where the stake were high and encouraged by regular visiting politicians.

During my research i found out that other community residents agreed as collective to relocate
partly because they hoped for better life,without aware of the implications of the relocation would be.I found that this was caused by the lack of professional advice and proper assistance available to the community for the purpose of projects planing and implimentations.REASON,because many are parents with high illiterate and youth were not considered into decision-making.Same applies here at sterkwater,it is shameful situation as many especialy youth who are illiterate unable to understand the technical words,laguage and to
analys the various information that may be available from various sphere,as most considered
to be the leaders.

In my research ,i found clear that those with powers among the community use ideology in order
to make destructions among the residents for their own benefits,as to make sure that relevant information ''must'' not be disclosed to the public as this could awake most those victimised.I really noticed that the power of rights was turned into the rights of the powerful at this victimised community.

Residents claim yhat there are number of issues around which information on expected benefit was not clear enough.I found that this residents have smallest share of resources devoted to formal education ,they are the most poorly organised and therefore least able to to demand assistance because their ability to constribute to decision-making is critical,as i found that most youth claim that for them to take in charge in their own village they need information on the right under the constitution and the bill of right and access to legal assistance,tranning for the organisation,decision-making,facilitation and mediation skills and knwoledge of appropriate technologies,whereby skills in planning,managing;monitoring and evaluating projects as a capacity building needs.

In my research recently i found out from several residents randomly that one of the main critical issue that contribute to the community friction is the provision of the recreational facility like community hall known as ''WHITE ELEPHANT ''.most residents claim that there is no relevent information regarding this facility as there is no one knows exatly who is managing this facility,because the structure being responsible as section 21 company for this facility was despanded by minister of minerals and energy mrs shabangu.But the question remains to the entire community is that ,the products inside[computers and other accesories]this facility and the fees paid for the events used to be held in it are manage by whom?as this gives the residents the impression that this section 21 structure seems working as there is no paper work as a proof to show that there is a dissolution.

With my perspectives,community expetations must be understood in the context of the newly democratic SOUTH AFRICA,however.''LAWS'' should be clearly formulated and easy to be understood by the residents of this affected community and they should be made widely available in the appropriate laquage,if necessary before make known to the PUBLIC.


By daniel ''MDANZO'' Maphoto

HUGE CHALLENGES IN REGARD OF SOCIAL WOKER

IT was on the 04/07/2010 community gathered at the kgoro ,a place community issues

discussed at.i found out that the issue was all about the unfinished continous matter of

uvailability of social worker in the community of ga-pila/sterkwater.

I found that the headman refused the letters from the councilor and reconciliation committee

in which was requesting him to attend the kgoro on this day of 04/07/2010 in regard of the

problematic issue to be solved in regard of the social worker ,as resolution had been taken by the community ,said by the councilor.

I found that mapela tribal authority ,podium community platform as media and department

of social development were not available.Only nearby tinmine police station comander was available.department of social and development apologised by forwarding social worker

who residents fighting for him to be in the community.I can assue you that the residents

seen loosing hope about the leadership of this community.political laguage seen as the main

source that influencing the fiction among the youth and the quadians of this relocated community.

Other residents interprit this dilemma as coused by the legacy of relocation in which brought

by the mine anglo platinum.Ward 16 councilor and pr councilor were forwarded to the department of social and development as a result that community want back social worker and the department itself must come back to the community.What i found most intresting

is that even tinmine station commander volonteer to accompany the two councilor.

With my opinion i commend that the government as a policy maker must look a proper way for providing skills of improving the traditional leaders according to the modern developmental basic need of the entire economy.But the remaining question is that how long this community will wait for the nearby service derlivery ,whereas many children in this community need assistancy as other they dont have parents to suport them.

BY daniel[MDANZO] maphoto

HUGE CHALLENGES IN THE COMMUNITY

IT was on the 29/06/2010 arround 10hoo AM residents of this community of sterkwater
''predicted it as a ghost relocated community''enter their traditional court ''KGORO''organized by
councilor of ward 16 due to the deteroration of the resolution being taken by the community at the kgoro in regard of availability of social worker.

Councilor explained more about what happened since from the dateb of the 20/06/2010
till 28/06/2010 to the community at gathering.After councilor anounced that the social worker will no more be available in the community because of the khuduthamaga , the entire mass seen
full of pressure of unconditional acts.

Four member were elected [two men and two women] to go to request headman to avail himself
emediatly at the kgoro .unfortunatly headman refused by saying that he is in the meeting
with the mine representatives[anglo platinum],offwhich one of them was MRS Thembi Nkadimeng as project manager ,said by those four elected members.

Community requested that the councilor and reconciliation committee must write letters to
headman pila,Mapela tribal authority,social worker,department of social and development to
come to solve this erratic issue as most ofthe residents need social worker nearby as most are not earning or working to affort transport fair to went out far to get service delivery of social
worker especialy women.resolution was taken that on the 04/07/2010 there must be a meeting
at the KGORO.

FOLLOWUP OF ISSUE OF SOCIAL WOKER

During my fieldwork ,after a week resolution being taken at the kgoro ,I found out that
community resolution had been changed by khuduthamaga[ga-pila executive]which
residents alleged that it is not the relevent member for the ga-pila tribal council.

Ifound out that on the 28/06/2010 there were an internal meeting at community clinic
in regard of this issue of social worker.The meeting was organized by khuduthamaga by
inviting social worker by letter and other letter tpo the clinic.

I found that social worker by himself forwarded the letter tothe department of social and development.The fiction was all about the community hall in which khuduthamaga refuse
to be used untill they get the keys.That means even social worker will not conduct his work or duty insite this building as other complain that they had been arrested trying to know how it came ,including headman pila.

I found out clear that at the end of discussions ,the department of social and development
concluded by saying thatthe social worker must return back at ''mapela''clinic which is far
away from sterkwater,because they don't want to interfere in community fictions.Councilor was not invited to the meeting ,whereas he was the one who brought the social worker to the Ga-pila tribal council

COMMUNITY DISPUTE in regard of social woker

I my research i found that social woker had being introdused to the Ga-pila tribal council
on the 17/06/2010 by ward 16 councilor.Whereby on the 20/06/2010 community was called
to the kgoro to introduce the social woker ,who brought by department of social and development.

I found that at the end of the discussions of the issue of social woker vitality of availability in this communityfor quicker nearby service delivery especialy for those who do not have an access
to pay transport fair to get assistancy in regard of family matters,this ledt the community to took a resolution that the social woker must be allocated an office in the community hall sponsored by anglo platinum,as at the community clinic there is no space.

THIS resolution was taken by entire community with conjunction with ward 16 councilor,headman with his executive,and social woker who by origin as a resident of this
community.

BY daniel [MDANZO] maphoto