Progress made in uplifting the lives of poor South Africans since the end of apartheid in 1994 by providing them  basic services such as free housing and healthcare is worth celebrating, a former mayor has said.

But the services enjoyed by many today, former Fezile Dabi District Municipality mayor Jonas Ramogoase said, would not have been possible were it not for the selfless sacrifices of many anti-apartheid activists.

“Clinics are free of charge today thanks to the sacrifices of our people,” he said.

“We also have early childhood development centres to nurture the minds of the young ones, for free, and from Grade One when we enrol a child in class we feed them.

“It’s just another way we are trying to improve the quality of life of our people.”

Ramogoase was addressing thousands of people who gathered on Saturday at Pheellang Primary School in Tumahole township, Parys, to commemorate anti-apartheid protests that rocked the area three decades ago.

The protests on July 15 1984 were triggered by a decision by the then white-led municipality to increase rentals only for homes occupied by black people.

Several hundreds of people were injured by police trying to break up the protests, while one of the protestors – Milo Ngalo – died of his injuries while in police custody.

Saturday’s event was part of the 30th commemoration by the Tumahole community of the protests three decades ago.

The communities of Tumahole and other black townships in the Vaal Triangle have commemorated the 1984 protests every July 15, which the local community commonly refer to as Tumahole Day.

Ramogoase, who was flanked by Ngwathe Local Municipality councillors Thomas Nopeche and Nneheng Mopeli, said the anti-apartheid efforts had paid off for especially for the previously disadvantaged black communities.

The democratic dispensation had come with a new constitution that compels the government to provide the people with housing, water and electricity, among many other basics.

“A person with rights, such as South Africans, and a person who knows how to use those rights can be able to change their lives for the better using the law,” Ramogoase said.

Hundreds of people consisting mainly of young and old people from Tumahole thronged the Mosepeli Hall last Friday to apply for ID’s in a bid to become documented South Africans ahead of next year’s general elections.

The office of the Speaker in the Fezile Dabi District Municipality, Girts Nketu, has arranged with the home affairs department to use the hall to enable hundreds of community members in Ngwathe to acquire ID’s.  This revealed the high number of people who still do not have ID’s. Many of them told of how their ID’s had been seized by loan sharks while others had lost them.

Ngwathe ward councillor, Nneheng Mopeli, facilitated the campaign. She told the community that this was an opportunity for them to get the important documents to be able to exercise their democratic right to vote.

“Some of you and your children are unemployed because you don’t have IDs. However, the government is availing this opportunity because we know very well that many of you have sincerely lost theirs while some of you have left them at the money lenders. We are trying to have you documented so that you can continue with your lives.”

“Having no ID contributes to high levels of poverty because you can’t get a job; it helps young people secure a future because if you don’t have one you won’t be allowed write your Grade 12 final exams,” said Mopeli.

Beneficiaries thanked both the Ngwathe Local Municipality and Fezile Dabi District Municipality for giving them the opportunity to apply for ID’s.

Ntshediseng Mogale said she lost hers on a bus and she had struggled to open accounts since last year.

“I had no money to apply for a new ID now that the fees have gone up. But this will enable me to get it and I will bounce back to face life so I can continue with my dreams,” said Mogale.

Another beneficiary, Lerato Mosia – a grade 11 learner – told The Weekly that she has been trying to apply for an ID but she couldn’t get one. She said an ID would help her when she applies for a bursary to further her studies.

“There are many things that we can do with ID’s. It helps in many aspects of life and nothing can be realised without an ID,” said Mosia.

Ngwathe Local Municipality manager, Steve Naale thanked Nketu for spearheading the project.

“The Speaker knows the situation our people are in and we find his intervention very important to all the beneficiaries. We also thank all of the councillors who are working hard to have people helped,” said Naale.

Statistics reveal that one in 10 people loses an ID and many people still struggles to get them back due to their identities being stolen by unscrupulous foreign nationals. South Africa is the world leader when it comes to fraudulent documents like ID’s, drivers’ licences and passports. This corruption has helped many ineligible immigrants to access RDP houses while millions of citizens are still struggling to lay their hands on them.

The executive mayor of Fezile Dabi District Municipality, Moeketsi Moshodi, has announced a multi-year sewer connection programme to remove the bucket system in the four local municipalities that falls under its jurisdiction.

The multi-million project will be divided between the Metsimaholo, Moqhaka, Mafube and Ngwathe local municipalities where there have been several service delivery protests about the bucket system, lack of housing, and chronic water shortages.

Moshodi said the sewer connection project will bring human dignity back to the residents of the four municipalities and is expected to be completed in 2014.

According to Moshodi, the district municipality has set aside R 12.6-million for infrastructure development projects in the current financial year. He said R9 million will be used for sewer reticulation projects in Mafube Local Municipality; R1.3-million for the rehabilitation of roads in Ngwathe Local Municipality; R1.3-million for the sewer reticulation in Metsimaholo Local Municipality and R50 000 for the installation of water pumps in Moqhaka Local Municipality.

“The community of Fezile Dabi gave us a mandate to improve access to piped water. Today, access to piped water is standing at 91.5 percent. Access to toilet facilities has increased to 80.3 percent. The number of people that have no access to toilets facilities has decreased to 1.7 percent,” said Mohsodi.

He said the district municipality has already delivered two water pumps to resolve the water problem in Moqhaka Local Municipality.

“Fezile Dabi District Municipality is working with Moqhaka Local Municipality to make sure that the water problem in its towns receive attention and is addressed completely. We have delivered the water pumps and the local municipality is busy with other projects to make sure that this matter is resolved completely.

“I sincerely believe that our people will be patient just a little bit, while we are finalising a few things, and the water problem in this town will be completely resolved in the next financial year,’’ said Moshodi.

The Fezile Dabi District Municipality launched a Power Boat Club in Koppies recently with the objective of transforming formerly disadvantaged kids into prospective world champions of the sport.

The doors of the club were officially opened by the chairperson of the social development and tourism portfolio committee in the district municipality, councillor Georgina Guza.

He was standing in for the Fezile Dabi District Municipality’s executive mayor, Max Moshodi, who was part of the provincial team that had visited the ailing former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, in hospital.

She said the municipality was serious about developing the sporting talent of young people in the region.

“Sport generally speaks to the youth in a language that they understand and in the past we have seen how the different sports bring people together. It is my pleasure and privilege to present this powerboat club to the youth of Fezile Dabi who are eager to take part in sport.”

Guza said there will be two power boat and mountain bike teams that will take part in the development programmes which are aimed at strengthening career development of the participants.

“We all know that talent can be turned into a thriving career if it is natured. We are taking part in developing these children because what they do can make them champions and put our district in the national and international map. They are the children of Fezile Dabi, Free State and South Africa and they deserve our help.

“We have made a pledge as the municipality to develop skills of young people with potential and passion and it is so good of us to develop these children whilst they are young,” added Guza.

The developing power boating and mountain biking athletes are mentored by accomplished boaters and bikers. They include Shaun Terrence, who was the first black world powerboat champion; Alex Greiler, Ben Bradice, Jacks Levis and Phillip Small, who is the mountain biking champion. These trainers will work under the trusted supervision of Terry Rincas, who is also a former world power boating champion.

The aspiring power boating champions’ parents were happy about their children’s participation in the programmes. Nonkosi Mohapi was pleased to see her daughter, Morewa, being selected to take part in the programme.

She said she had never dreamt of her daughter participating in this prestigious sport.

“It is such a dangerous sport; I was shocked but I kept watching her grow and thrive in the sport. She did well and I wish she can continue participating in power boating and making sure that she makes a living out of it. Our children are living in an era where they have opportunities to pursue their talents which can also put bread in their table.”

Another parent, Maleseba Ntlatseng, thanked the district municipality for giving her child a great opportunity to pursue her sporting dream.

“I am so happy to see that she is brave to go on the sometimes treacherous water. It is something which I wouldn’t personally do, but I thank God that she is able to pursue her dreams.”

Fezile Dabi District Municipality mayor, Max Moshodi, has vowed that the municipality will escalate its funding for HIV/AIDS programmes and people with disabilities.

Moshodi made a commitment during a function where he met people with disabilities. The municipality has allocated R600 000 to special programmes dealing with women, children and people living with disabilities. The mayor used the meeting to encourage disabled people to participate in the draft budget meetings of the municipality so that they can make inputs aimed at improving their living conditions.

He said the municipality intends to increase the budget for special programmes to accommodate the growing needs of people with disabilities in the district.

“Disabled people often don’t have advocacy groups which can represent their interests compared to other interest groups. So as government we must ensure that they are not left out. We will continue to ensure that they live better lives and continue to have confidence in their government.”

Last year, Moshodi handed out half a million rands to organisations working with people living with HIV/AIDS. The district municipality is planning to embark on an outreach programmes to inform residents about the services and programmes it offers.

Municipal manager, Lindi Molibeli, said many residents were excluded from government services due to lack of access to information. He said the district municipality will put special focus on people with disabilities during this financial year.

“We have a budget of close to R700 000 which will be used to assist people with disabilities. We will also fund their projects so that we can help them make something of their lives. Most of them depend on the disability grant they get from government and that is not enough to sustain them,” she said.

Molibeli said the municipality intends to allocate 30 percent of the R1-million set aside for bursaries to students living with disabilities. The municipality, in conjunction with the department of social development, plans to build a school that will accommodate people living with disabilities. Bartemea School of the Deaf and Blind in Thaba Nchu is the only specialised school for the disabled in the Free State.