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