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The lack of basic amenities such as water and housing, coupled with poor governance and maladministration, was uppermost in the minds of Free State residents as the rest of the country celebrated Human Rights Day last week.
Residents who spoke to City Press at a dialogue hosted at Sehunelo Secondary School in Mangaung by the SA Human Rights Commission as part of the Human Rights Day celebrations in the province, bemoaned the indecent living conditions that they are still subjected to 25 years after the advent of democracy in the country.
“We still do not have electricity, running water and basic service delivery,” said Mammy Moeketsi, a resident in Batho, Bloemfontein.
Another resident at the dialogue highlighted the fact that politicians only took interest in impoverished communities when it was close to election time.
“They come here and make all sorts of promises. As soon as they have won the elections, they go back to their comfort zones and forget about the dire needs of community members until the next cycle of elections comes along, and then they remember that we exist,” said Ntsime Lekutu.
He added that he would rather not vote in the upcoming elections or “give a chance to other political parties such as the EFF”.
Thabang Kheswa, provincial manager of the SA Human Rights Commission in the Free State, singled out corruption as the main reason those in power did not provide decent services to communities.
“The issue of corruption really takes away from the people because, where there is corruption, it means the capacity of the state to give services gets affected,” said Kheswa.
He said it was time for residents to demand that their human rights were met.
“However, the major problem facing communities in the Free State and other parts of the country is that, even though South Africa on paper has one of the best Constitutions in the world, we have failed as a country to educate the majority of our residents on how to claim the contents of the Constitution in their day-to-day lives.
“Residents are dehumanised and yet do not know that they are, which makes it hard for them to even report when their human rights are infringed upon,” said Kheswa.
His sentiments were echoed by DA premier candidate for the Free State Patricia Kopane.
Speaking to City Press, Kopane said: “It is a pity that, while the rest of the country celebrates Human Rights Day, there is not much to celebrate in the Free State. Most residents are still forced to drink from the same water sources their livestock drink from.
“Can you believe such indecency 25 years into the country’s independence?”
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