DURBAN - The families of 14 ANC youth who were massacred during ANC and IFP political violence in Ixopo in 1994 said they were still waiting for the government to build the houses it promised them.
The 14 youngsters had camped in an abandoned rondavel at Mahhehle village outside Ixopo, planning and preparing to welcome the late ANC president Nelson Mandela, who was to visit the area.
Khathazile Mbanjwa, who lost her 16-year-old son, Sokalezwe, in the attack that day, said the ANC and the government had in 2011 promised to “wipe their tears away” by building them houses as well as employing each family member in the government because some of the dead were working and supporting their families.
Mbanjwa told the Daily News on Sunday that none of the promises were fulfilled except for building a house for one of the 14 families.
She said that during the handing over of that house the late Social Development MEC Dr Meshack Radebe announced that the government would soon start building houses for all of them and even asked them to demolish her mud house to make way for the new house.
Radebe, who had visited the area on Saturday, told her that trucks loaded with building materials would come on the Monday but nothing has materialised, she said.
“We were fooled by the government. I do not understand why government officials would commit themselves to things they knew they would not do.
“I was asked to talk to the media and thank the government on behalf of the families but later I became a laughing stock in the community with locals asking where my house was,” said Mbanjwa.
After her story and photo was published in a Zulu newspaper, she said a lot of people called congratulating her and others said that they would soon live in decent houses. Even the food parcels the government had promised to them were not delivered, she said.
In 2011, the government also erected memorials and tombstones for the victims. A government website reveals that the families also raised the issue with government officials and senior ANC members who were present about finding jobs for each member of the families because some of the victims were working and supporting their families.
Provincial ANC spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela said he would have to check with the regional leadership of the ANC as well as the provincial government to find out what happened.
ANC Harry Gwala regional secretary Sindisiwe Msomi, who was there during the unveiling of the victims’ tombstones, said there was nothing that could have stopped the government from fulfilling the promise except that when the old MEC leaves office the new one usually does not continue with the projects started by the old one.
Human Settlements MEC Jomo Sibiya promised to attend to the matter and asked for the contact details of the families so his team could liaise with them.
“We owe these families what they were promised. We will contact them as soon as possible,” said Sibiya.
The EFF treasurer, Linda Mbhele, who raised the issue with the Daily News said he would also raise the issue in the legislature, adding that he was shocked to find that the ANC had fooled families who lost their children in such a gruesome murder.
Daily News