Lack of Delivery Divides Residents on Voting

Natasha Phiri

Soshanguve residents say they are divided on voting during the upcoming local government elections as they don’t see any improvements in their lives since the fall of apartheid – some of these residents live in a block of flats known as Afghanistan in the township.

Those who stay in Afghanistan complain of filthy conditions they live under and say residents of one floor have to share a toilet – irrespective of the gender. Piles of rubbish can be seen on the way to the flat, situated near the Tshwane University of Technology’s Soshanguve campus.

A resident who refuses to be identified says she has lived in the block of flats for eight years but doesn’t believe any political party can address her concerns. “I have been going to endless ward council meetings but nothing changes .I’m not going to vote for the ANC because they have empty promises and I won’t vote for the DA because I don’t like them.”

Another woman who has been there for the past four years says apart from the filth they have to battle with criminals and fears for the safety of the children who play there.

She says her vote will be based on race as she doesn’t trust a white majority political party. “I am going to vote , I will vote for the ANC , because I’m scared of voting for the white people ,because if I vote for the whites they will come take us out.”

She says her fear of the Democratic Alliance taking over overrides the lack of service delivery under the African National Congress.

Pretoria Township Residents Complain of Filthy Conditions

Sthembiso Sithole

Children forced to play in filth as open spaces become
rubbish dumps.

As South Africa is electing local leaders in a week’s time political parties are trying to convince the public on many reasons they feel they need to be voted for and some even doing damage control on the promises they have failed to deliver on in the past. We have seen the Democtatic Alliance and the African National Congress removing fighting gloves on issues of open toilets in certain municipalities and in Kliptown, Soweto, residents have complained of still being forced to use the bucket system while they live without adequate electricity supply.

In Soshanguve residents are now complaining of having to live in filth in the ANC run township and even ANC members say they have taken their leaders to task about the matter, but there have been no positive responses. The DA, previously known by many as a white party, has been seen campaigning here as well.

A Different Kind of Mecca at the Breytie

Soshanguve Traditional Healer Says She Cures Aids Despite Criticism

Sthembiso Sithole



Gogo Rose says traditional healing methods should
be accepted in the HIV/Aids fight.



A Soshanguve traditional healer, identifying herself as Gogo Rose, claims that she has cured an estimated sixty HIV/AIDS patients in the township.

An article appearing on the website of HIV/Aids charity group, Avert found on http://www.avert .org, says in 2009 South Africa had an estimated 5.6 million people living with HIV/Aids – a figure higher than any other country in the world. This means that those claiming to cure the disease would have a huge clientele and Gogo Rose understands this.

“HIV/AIDS is big challenge that the world is facing. I cured sixty people who have this [illness]. Many people from Christian churches to ordinary people have come to me for help and I helped them,” she explains.

According to Gogo Rose, she has been a traditional healer for more than ten years and says she has a certificate.

Television is More Than Just an Entertainment Box in Africa

Mary-Jane Mabula



The 1976 education march took place right after the launch of television
in the country which played a pivotal role in the change to follow.
Photo: http://www.downtheavenue.com/



Television in South Africa has been more than just a box that sits in the family room with images of entertainment going through – even though one might be forgiven for thinking that at times.

Moving pictures have played a pivotal role in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa when citizens saw them for the first time on 05 January 1976. The power of moving images is something that no amount of radio broadcasting or print media can compete with. I believe that having those images broadcast on television was more powerful than hearing moving speeches from leaders of various liberation movements. It was the biggest propaganda machine run by the National Party, but it worked against them. In fact some researchers have proven that television took a while to arrive in South Africa because the ruling party at the time was scared of the impact it would have in bringing down the oppressive system and they were right as without television our struggle for freedom could have lasted much longer.

Rostrum Theatre Becomes a 'Battlefield'

Bodybuilders On Show at TUT

Lindokuhle Mnisi

Recently bodybuilders from the township of Soshanguve in Pretoria had a chance to flex their muscles in a competition that saw men and women showing off to hundreds of people in a packed Tshwane University of Technology hall.

The competition is organised twice a year by the university’s Department of Sports and Recreation and aims to promote the development of the sport in the impoverished township.”