Church structure blown away

Mohau Ramashidja

Thembi Vilakazi of Block KK in Soshanguve

points at a church structure which fell on

her house last week Friday. 

Shalom Christian Church is left without a church structure after their structure has been in existence for four weeks.

This comes after last week’s Friday strong winds which blew the church structure away to fall on top of the two homes which were opposite where it stood.

 

From the early hours of 10am, community members in block KK picked up what was left of the crunch up corrugated iron of Shalom Christian Church.

Today Shalom find themselves without a church structure after four weeks it has been in existence.

 “It is about four weeks since we had this church structure. Before that we were gathering in a tent for our church services. It’s a great loss for us because the whole structure cost us approximately R36 000 to build,” said the pastor’s wife Khanya Ndlovu.

Elizabeth Khoza was in her house when she suddenly heard a violent crash on top of her roof. “I was from work when the wind blew out of control. It was few minutes after I had entered the house when I heard a violent crash on top of my roof.

My house is badly damaged. The windows are broken and there is a huge crack on it that might cost me to rebuild the house if the crack is beyond repair,” she said.

While Khoza managed to come out of her house; her neighbour’s daughter Dimpho Vilakazi found herself trapped in her home after the church structure had landed on top of it.

“I was in the house when I saw the roof crashing in. I was trapped inside for a while until my neighbours came to help me out,” she said.

To repair the overall damages on the two homes, the church said it was willing to provide assistance where needed.

 Amongst their plans the church said it was to speak with the ward councillor to come up with other arrangements to solve this problem. The ward councillor and the Tshwane Metro were not available for comment.

Sewage problem reigns for three months

 

By Mohau Ramashidja



Thabita Tshabalala with her 8month baby points to one

 of the sewage spill which is affecting the community

 of Boikhutsong in Soshanguve.



After four months of having to live with a damaged sewage pipe; the community of Boikhutsong still find themselves having to live with the smell of a sewage odour.

 This comes after an alleged poor installation of a sewage system in the area by the Tshwane Metro.“This problem started during winter. It becomes a problem even at night because there are flies everywhere. We cannot sleep,” said a community member Thabita Tshabalala.

After their unsuccessful attempts of trying to get in contact with the Tshwane Metro; the community in the area feels neglected by it. “We have been calling for assistance but still there is no help granted to us,” said Tsabalala’s son Bobo. 

A mother of three Elsie Molea who is also negatively affected by the sewage spill said the sewage odour has caused her new born to be constantly sick.“This sewage problem affects us because our young ones are always sick,” she said.

 The situation might be more than just the new borns getting constantly sick with minor flue infections. A paediatrician in Pretoria Dr Johnny Lotter said the sewage spill would lead to the newborns getting exposed to diseases because of their weak immune system. “A sewage spill contains lots of bacteria and viruses that an immune system of new born baby can’t handle,” he said. 

With such a detrimental effect the sewage spill has on newborn babies, ward councillor of ward 25 Phumzile Hlatshwayo apologised for the dysfunctional sewage system. And though the Tshwane Metro was not availabel for comment the ward councillor assured the community that the situation would improve for the better. “On behalf the Tshwane metro we are very sorry and we will monitor the situation from time to time,” He said.