kwa thema houses build in wetlands

Houses in section called Nyanyathu are having problem of sinking hole. Kwa thema is in far east of Joburg in South Africa Ekurhuleni.It is a small township of about 48 000 population but the uneployment is high.

The Nyanathu section which was build in 1984 by the Government for the people of  Kwa-thema and people were quiet happy for the houses until some of them discovered the problem of sinking ground and house craking.The Masikili family was one of those affected by this problem.Mrs Masikili was making a living by running a creche school at her house from 2002 until one day having lunch they heard this big bang, when they went to see what was happening, they were shocked terrified of what they saw, a big hole inside the house and the other one outside the yard. First thing they did they went to municipality officials for help which they came put red tapes for danger and disappeared and she kept on asking them what when they going to fix the problem and keep on promising but no action this happen in 2004 March. She was forced stop the creche school because of the hole, afraid that children will fall in the hole and she was not getting any help from the local Government. Its now 2012 the house is not fixed yet what a shame. She decided to put lot of rocks to close the hole in the house and in the yard, but if you step in that space you can feel the ground its very soft and still can sink and no help yet.

I went to the officials in the office Mr Sdumo and explain to him the problem faced by the Masikili family and why no action taken since 2004 till now. Mr Sdumo indicated that its the first time he heard about it and he went to get more information and came back. He indicated that its not only mrs Masikili the are other houses as  well they want to fix them at once. but the time taken from 2004 till now nothing happen. He took my phone numbers so that we make an appointment to see the house. I hope and believe he will call

Qeduszi Masina
Ekurhuleni environmental organisation

polluted spruit runs through kwa thema

The polluting spruit in Kwathema and Kwa-thema is in Ekurhuleni east of Joburg in South Africa. The spruit runs from a Brakpan industrial area to Kwa-thema and its just open not fenced.

The spruit begins in Brakpan industial area which the companies spill into it  and pass through wright park which again is polluted by a company called Vereeging and it flows to kwa-thema. in Kwa -thema runs near Tlamoga college through to the pulong high school and the spruit separate the informal settlement and the coolege, the people in  the informal area still use this water not aware its toxic, children play in that water and when rains and floods the water get into informal settltement houes the smell is very bad, the community dumb the in spruit and causing a blockage and lot of rats. As the spruit runs towards Rest in peace section it pass through an open area where the community cross, children from and to school passes through , again children play the not knowing how dangerous is the water.Buluthando park was build in rest in peace in memory of the 2 kids who past away in that spruit in 2006 as the results spruit flooding. The spruit in this area is still dangerous because is not secured the is bridges for people to cross.

The spruit continues to areas in and around Kwa-thema where many improvement can be made that is putting guard rails,nets or anything that will help with safety in this regard, we as eeo tried to meet with the local government to discuss the matter even further but the local board meet once a month and we have promised a meeting with them on the29th May we (EEO) have been undertaking the bettering of our community by beginning with the small steps and work towards a better future not only for us but our future generations
Sibusiso Buthelezi
Ekurhuleni Environmental org

crime in kwatsadutsa

Kwatsadutsa, the name come from the amalgation of three Township that is Kwa-thema, tsakane and Duduza. All these township are in the east of Joburg in South Africa,the population is about 210.000 with high rate of uneployment and crime is high since the closer of mines in the area.Most people came into these place because of employment and are still living the as of now.

Since most people are not working  the crime rate is increasing very fast the type of crime that we face range from rape, housebreaking,robbery, car theft and the list goes on, those who work they earn very littlte since they work for labour brokers and get next to nothing, others sell fat cakes at schools and spaza shops.but the numbers crime doers is very high compared to those who trying to make a living by opening small bussineses . the very small spaza shops are rob now and then,secondly every friday lot of people especially those who are working they wait for them at dark places where the no street light and rob them.Thirdly the guys idling in the location end up taking drugs and rape those ladies who work till late the rate of rape has increased by 3% in the area this only. other guys use mafia style of paying protection fee to those Pakistanians who owns the tuck shop every month or certain period.

Talking to the Captain of Kwa-thema. Mr Khumbuza, Illustrated to us the following firstly the community is not coming foward to assit the police with information and its difficult for them to get culprits and he understand why the community is afraid, The problem lies with the court system whereby a police will put the culprit in jail but the court say the is no enough evidence and the culprit is out to threatin those who inform the police of his where abouts.secondly they getting a bit of help from the(CPF) crime prevention forum which work directly with the community and its members of the community, they planning to increase the number of cpf and other scrutures which assist in combating the crime and (EEO) is invited to these meeting as well to bring in ideas of helping the police to help the community at large from the dangerous crime doers a schedule will be forwarded soon.

Meshack Mbangula

(EEO) Ekurhuleni Environmental Organisation

Shaft 5 in kwa-thema(vlakfontein mine)

Kwa-thema is a township which was build were it use to be Vlakfontein mining area and other small mine as well. Kwa-thema is South africa in the east of Johannesburg, in a town called Springs and most of the people come from Paynville were they were moved by apartheid Government.

Shaft 5 was left behind by Vlakfontein Minein section called Interland and near the shaft are to schools one is Phulong secondary school and the other one is Phelang school for handicap children. The children pass near the shaft when going or coming from school everyday, the shaft is secured at all, already we have lost three kids  according to the family of Mkhwanazi. Pat who is the Street communty leader in interland section they tried many times and they have failed talking to the local government umfortunatly they cant hold of Vlakfontein mine owners.When talking to the ward coucillor Dora. she told me that place was suppose to be  made train station that was the plan from the local Government by Kwelemthini in 2008 and the aim was the train will be running from Duduza via Tsakane to Kwathema unfortunate Kwelemthini passed away and she will try and get more information about the plan. the question we ask is that in mean time what are they doing to protect the community,She indicated that she will take the matter up and see if they cant get hold of any information leading them to Vlakfontein mine owners.

We as EEO have already organised paint to write on the wall of the shaft we struggling to get the right stepleather so that we can make everybody aware of the danger we are facing.
Kagiso Modikoe
Ekurhuleni environmental Org

western platinum refinery in Kwa-thema(mzumbe)

Platinum refinery refine platinum using lot of dangerous chemicals to the refine. Not far from the plant is a section called Mzumbe and is In Kwa-thema east of Joburg in South- Africa area of Ekurhuleni.

Platinum refinery was long build even before some of the section inkwa-thema  were build like Mzumbe, it is build in 1999 near the plant and they started building it platinum refinery objected very strongly to the building of houses near its plant since they were using dangerous chemicals but unfortunatly it fell on deaf ears and the Contractor when approach he indicated that he has nothing to do with chemicals he building houses.because people are desparate for the houses it was very difficult to stop them from occupying the houses, now many people are having chest problem now and most of the peolple are not working they cannot afford good medicine and the company says its not responsable as they have tried to stop the municipality from building the houses.three weeks ago the in April two tanks blowed in the plant and lot of smoke covered the Mzumbe area and we dont know how much is the damage the health of the people.

We tried to aproach the platinum bosses but we warned that nobody is allowed near area until its known the cause of the blast and the government is not available to comment or have meeting with them.
Neo mbangula
EEO

rietfontein waist in nyanyathu ext4(kwa-thema

Rietfontein waste is very close to ext4 in Kwa-thema in springs east of Joburg South Africa.ekurhuleni thats were our town is.
When the rietfontein was established community was not consulted by the company and the place at first it was not having a concrete around it people can go through as they like and kids use play the  in the dirty dangerous play community fought and they put a concrete fenced. but people still go the to look for food,what they can sell. What is bad even companies bring toxic waste and people are not informed about that people of ext4 complain of the smell that comes from the area of the waste but the area is growing everyday nearer to the community and very toxic. talking to security he said they cant stop the people because people are hungry and desparate to get food and things they can sell.secondly they tried to stop them and they were promised to killed very soon.

Action taken we took phone numbers from the security so that we can phone the manangers of the comapany which we deed and we were told to write a letter tell them who we are state the problem and they will come back to us.
Mduduzi
EEO