By: Zethu Gweva
Buffalo City Metro residents who currently occupy informal settlements in the Metro say they are striving for independence as they are from various towns of the Eastern Cape.
Ayakha Mnguli, 30, who is originally from Ngcobo said she never thought she would find herself living in a shack in Duncan Village but circumstances forced her as she is from a very destitute background.
After Mnguli matriculated in 2009 she struggled to further her studies at a tertiary level as there were no finances to support her dreams.
Due to the high rate of unemployment and how impoverished she was, she decided to look for a job and become a domestic worker and moved to East Loudon.
”I saw a post on Facebook where a lady was looking for domestic work. I decided to contact her and that’s how I got the job,” she said.
IIn addition Mnguli said after she had settled she saved money to erect her shack as she was staying with her cousin who had three children at that time.
Mnguli’s cousin Zavala Soqanga said she ran away from home after she was raped by her father multi-times as she could not take the abuse anymore.
“When I arrived I was homeless for some time while I was living in Quigney. I would go door to door every day looking for a job until I found it as a domestic worker,” said Soqanga.
She added that she has hope as people are receiving houses and one day she will become a homeowner and her family will be safe.
According to the Minister of the Department of Human Settlement Mmamoloko Kubayi, the sector is busy with house delivery for its 2021/2022 set targets.
Kubayi added that over 3000 housing opportunities have been delivered between April to June 2021
“All three spheres of government need to work in a more coordinated and integrated manner to solve our socio-economic challenges,” said Kubayi.