The 'forgotten village'

Residents of Zibhityolo village on the banks of the Great Kei River claim in the Mnquma municipality say they are the forgotten ones. 

The village has not received any services from government including electricity, roads and/or piped water.

The only source of water at present is a borehole.

Village residents said they had asked for help from Mnquma local municipality but were told they were not on any list to receive services.

Headman Bodas Ncapayi said they had given up on the current government.

“We want to plant our land, there’s no support from government and electricity is just a pipe dream,” said Ncapayi.

East London resident, Cwenga Pakade, whose father, Colben, was born in the village, said he had tried his best to help the village. “I’ve been to a number of offices and the villagers have approached their municipality but without any help. The community is so poor that they can’t even plough their fields or buy food,” said Pakade.

The Saturday Dispatch visited the forgotten village this week.

Nestled on the banks on Great Kei River on fertile land, it overlooks the Kubusie River on the Stutterheim side.

Villagers grew up ploughing their fields but because there’s no support or proper water reticulation systems, they had to abandon their fields and look for other ways of surviving.

Villagers said a few years ago, a tractor and planting implements were given to them, but a few months later the tractor was stolen. “We are nothing to the outside world. Are we still living in South Africa?” asked Ncapayi.

“We have no electricity in this village but Semeni village not far from here has electricity. Mnquma municipality is aware of this but nothing is happening,” another resident, Zoleka Moyilwa said.

Mnquma Local Municipality spokesman Loyiso Mpalantshane said the village could get electricity in the next financial year.

“Government has intervened and there’s a borehole for water and communal taps for them to get water,” said Mpalantshane.

Pakade said the village had so much more potential.

“Having government support, this village will be self-sufficient as it is in a very fertile land,” he said.

Eskom Eastern Cape spokeswoman Ntosh Mafumbatha, said the villagers should write a letter to the municipality and Eskom to get answers on why they don’t have electricity.

“The village needs to be assisted,” said Mafumbatha. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za