PAGE 2 COUPLE ARRESTED
PAGE 3 ANGRY RESIDENTS
PAGE 5
WATER CRISIS
SEKENE MAHALA SEKENE SA MMELE KA MOKA KE MAHALA MUSUPULOGO O MONGWE LE OMONGWE GO TIOGA KA
9-1 am
pm
Dr. Lorrick Bahadur M.D. PRACTICE NO: 1438298 • HPCSA NO: MP 0300748
Shop 25, Tembisa Mega Mart
ISSUE 65 – 27 April 2023
067 878 9293
Email: olifants@papashamedia.co.za Tel: 010 023 1845 www.theolifants.co.za Find us on
ONLINE COPIES
29 years later, still no freedom for Thembisa residents
most unequal country in the world. We have the highest unemployment rate, the highest crime rate, and the n the 27th of April 1994, res- most corrupt government in the idents of Thembisa took to world. Most residents of Thembisa, parthe polls for the first time to vote in the non-racial national ticularly the youth, consider Freedom elections. Excitement reverber- Day to be an ordinary day. They don’t ated throughout Thembisa’s streets have anything to celebrate since most when the ANC defeated the National of them are unemployed. It is not Party. For many people, the ANC unusual to find them roaming the victory marked the dawn of a new streets, dancing to Amapiano, and era. The quality of life for many drowning their sorrow in alcohol. Yet, most young people in Thempeople in Thembisa was expected to improve. People living in shacks bisa still believe that the ANC were promised houses, and those government is better than the apartwho were employed were promised heid government. “Black people were never considemployment. 29 years later, Thembisa remains a ered to be full participants of the difficult place to live for many black economy and black people still face people. As a country, we remain the challenges faced by apartheid spatial By Dumisani Hlatswayo
O
planning that affects people’s abil- “The Government should empower ity to get quality jobs and means of Thembisans with entrepreneurship self-determination,” Themba told the skills and promote Thembisa to be a Olifants News. tourism destination since the internaAccording to Themba, the current tional airport is at our doorstep. This government must address its service will help Thembisans to become selfdelivery issues. “Ramping up their reliant economically and resourceful refuse removal on the streets ensures as a community,” he added. that places that are vacant for recreSiyabonga said the apartheid govational use are protected from land ernment was not better than the ANC. grabs and vandalism,” Themba added. “The struggle will never end. Each Siyabonga Mthembu believes Free- generation has its own struggle to dom Day is a day to honour those who fight. The ANC fought the apartsacrificed their lives for the freedom heid struggle, now the ANC is the of South Africa. He went on to say, struggle of our generation, and the as a black person, he believes he is opposition will do what the opposifree. “Yes, I am free. I may not have tion does,” he said. all the freedom I want, however, I To EFF member, Lebo Masenya, have what I need and the one that Freedom Day is a stark reminder that I have is enough to get me started,” we’re still not free. “It’s a reminder said Siyabonga. that people were fooled into joining
long queues just for their living conditions to remain the same,” she said. Lebo said we’re not free as black people. “Due to the lack of progress in the implementation of freedom and democracy, we are not free,” she said. “Black people still don’t have free water and sanitation, free education, no free electricity but instead we get load shedding. And there is no free housing. The housing they provide is the lowest and most disgraceful standard. “There are no jobs for black youth,” she said. According to Lebo, the ANC should be removed from power since it has had 29 years to resolve every issue and has dismally failed. “They must go,” Lebo added.