Deep in the Kologha Mountains, halfway between Stutterheim and Ngcobo, lies the dusty village Keilands.
Here villagers describe a hard life of living with no running water, electricity or flushing toilets.
The only forms of transport available are a bakkie and a truck owned by fellow villagers, with a charge of R100 to go to town and extra to transport grocery items.
The drivers charge R800 to transport the sick to the local clinic or hospital.
A dilapidated stone building, built by Catholic priests in 1895, serves as the only school catering for Grades 1 to 7.
Far away from most homes in the small village, children usually begin schooling from the age of 10 because of the gruelling daily walk, with many quitting after completing Grade 7 as there is no high school.
Most of the 120 households rely on some form of government grant for income, while others make money by selling goods such as paraffin and airtime.
Zukile Madolwana said he had been lucky enough to have been employed as a CWP (Community Work Programme) employee.
“We work in Stutterheim cleaning the streets,” Madolwana said.
“Only 30 of us from the village were chosen. The hours are short because we are only needed one day a week. We only earn R600 a month, which goes towards transport and food.”
For residents like Siyabonga Botha, farm work in neighbouring villages is the only option.
“The pay is horrible and the hours are long,” Botha said. “ It would also mean leaving our families behind which is a problem.”
Though villagers received stormwater tanks from Amahlathi Municipality in 2009, the area has very little rain, with villagers sharing the dam water used by animals.
This, Asange Dlakadla said, was the reason children were always falling prey to stomachaches and rashes.
“But all of these things the residents are complaining about are in the pipeline already,” ward councillor Bulelani Lande said.
According to Lande communal taps would be installed by Amatola Water within the next month with Eskom working on an electricity plan.
Keilands crying out for help
Here villagers describe a hard life of living with no running water, electricity or flushing toilets.
The only forms of transport available are a bakkie and a truck owned by fellow villagers, with a charge of R100 to go to town and extra to transport grocery items.
The drivers charge R800 to transport the sick to the local clinic or hospital.
A dilapidated stone building, built by Catholic priests in 1895, serves as the only school catering for Grades 1 to 7.
Far away from most homes in the small village, children usually begin schooling from the age of 10 because of the gruelling daily walk, with many quitting after completing Grade 7 as there is no high school.
Most of the 120 households rely on some form of government grant for income, while others make money by selling goods such as paraffin and airtime.
Zukile Madolwana said he had been lucky enough to have been employed as a CWP (Community Work Programme) employee.
“We work in Stutterheim cleaning the streets,” Madolwana said.
“Only 30 of us from the village were chosen. The hours are short because we are only needed one day a week. We only earn R600 a month, which goes towards transport and food.”
For residents like Siyabonga Botha, farm work in neighbouring villages is the only option.
“The pay is horrible and the hours are long,” Botha said. “ It would also mean leaving our families behind which is a problem.”
Though villagers received stormwater tanks from Amahlathi Municipality in 2009, the area has very little rain, with villagers sharing the dam water used by animals.
This, Asange Dlakadla said, was the reason children were always falling prey to stomachaches and rashes.
“But all of these things the residents are complaining about are in the pipeline already,” ward councillor Bulelani Lande said.
According to Lande communal taps would be installed by Amatola Water within the next month with Eskom working on an electricity plan.
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