By Odwa Mkentane
Many residents across the Cape Flats say they are being left without access to basic services. In Heinz Park, residents are raising concerns about being excluded from community development projects and struggling to access library services.
Speaking to VOC, Heinz Park activist Tashreeq Perry says people from outside the community are being employed on projects intended to benefit local residents, leaving community members feeling sidelined and frustrated.
“Currently, our people are being excluded from these projects, including a new learnership programme that was implemented about two months ago. It is in partnership with the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and provides learnerships for 2,000 young men and women between the ages of 18 and 35. According to my knowledge and research, only one person from our area, Heinz Park, has been employed on this project. Ward 88 covers six communities, but only one person from our community is currently working on the project. People have come to me as an activist, and I can only do so much. That is why I have been reaching out and trying to get assistance so we can highlight these issues and the unfairness happening in our community,” said Perry.
Perry added that his community has been without a library service for years.
“We don’t have access to information, especially library services. In 2013, there was a mobile library bus that used to come into our community twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. The service just stopped. It’s as if there is a limit when it comes to service delivery in our community. We also need service delivery for all, regardless of which community you come from,” he said.
