PSJ Municipality to rescue homeless people following unrest between three villages

By Simbongile Mdledle

The Port St Johns Local municipality has embarked on an initiative to rescue the homeless people of Majola in Port St Johns, Eastern Cape following the eruption of faction fights that left many people homeless, with no clothes, food and other human needs. These battles also led to the closure of many schools in the area of Majola Administrative Area. The faction fights involving three villages, Gangatha, Tyeni and Siphusiphu left three people dead, whilst many homesteads burnt to ashes. The latest developments revealed that even though there were some attempts to make peace in three villages but many people are still living in the jungle while others ran to their neighbouring relatives.

Port St Johns Mayor Nomvuzo Mlombile-Cingo confirmed that the PSJ council together with other stakeholders including the South African Police Service on Tuesday visited Majola victims to assess the situation and check where they can help as the municipality, although they don’t have a budget allocated for such incidents. “We are visiting Majola families whose houses were burnt down…anyone who can assist with clothes and food is most welcome,” said Mlombile-Cingo.

The ward councillor at ward 8, Bulelwa Mjakuja which three villages fall under described the situation as a painful one as people still sleep in the forests with small children as well as school learners unable to attend school. She said despite the endeavours to make peace but the situation is still unbearable because the homeless people are still freezing in the forests in this cold weather. She divulged after the fights as a leadership called all the people in a meeting which was led by King Ndamase Ndamase and traditional leaders to make peace nevertheless people are still having fears of coming back in their homes. Mjakuja confirmed that police are deployed and are patrolling day and night. She appealed for peace and harmony in all three villages “The local government elections are around the corner but we cannot go and canvass in these areas and the situation deprived the rights of many people to vote. It is not nice at all to see the future of young minds ruined by the action of elders as most learners cannot attend school because of this while the final examinations are not far,” she concluded.