DAY 10 - 16Oct: Visiting Silvertown & the creche in Sjwetla,speaking to flood victims

We visited Silvertown and the Pikitup truck was there,doing their weekly garbage pick up. I spoke to Elin a little about the sanitation problems in Sjwetla and took some pictures to show the few portaloos,which was used for about 84 families.For Silvertown residents however sanitation seemed to be the least of their problems. They were promised by the housing department to be moved to proper housing within a year. They were more frustrated with living in their shacks for over 3 years.

We then went to the creche in Sjwetla.The principal at the school explained what the children knew about water and the river.We then walked randomly through narrow alley-ways to meet people who lived by the banks of the river and people who were victims of flooding.

DAY 9 - 16Oct: Plenary Meeting

DAY 9 - 16Oct

We had a class meeting between the four groups to discuss our ideas.
Group 3:

1)Silvertown(outskirts of Sjwetla)

2) Childrens creche in Sjwetla

3) Flood Victims

4) Church groups by the river

5) Flood Management

6) Sanitation (Present & Future)

7) Siyakana Food Garden

DAY 8 - 14Oct : Visit to Siyakana Food Garden,

DAY 8 - 14Oct

In the moring we went to meet Mandla at Bez Valley Park.He organised two ladies(Nomatemba Ncusana & Sarah Mashala) to show us how herbal salts were made.He also showed us how he prepared herbal lotions and creams.We watched a shot video clip called “The Corporation” which is about the importance and benefits of an eco-friendly industry. We also viewed a slideshow about the importance and health benfits of the Moringa leaf.

They packaged vegetables,lettuce and many other herbs and salts,ready to be delivered to childrens homes in the Yeoville and Hillbrow areas.We were given some herbal tea, made of sage, violet and lemon balm made by Mandla.

In the afternoon, we went to Sjewetla,to meet the principal of the crèche.There were about 30 children in a class.We wanted to speak to them to get to know what they have learnt about the river or even about water in general.

As we left Sjewetla, we passed by another community living almost separately from Sjewetla called Silvertown. The leader in the Settlement (Elin Chauke) told us that they were moved from proper houses in Alex CBD to these 95 shacks.They were promised RDP houses within a year but its almost been three years and nothing is happening.They have taken the matter to court.







Regarding the sanitation there are 94 shacks for 84 families.Each family consists of about 4-5 people.There are 11 portable loos for all of them with six taps (three on each side of the settlement - only three work at a time).They would like proper flushing type toilets but prefer not to have them because it might delay them further in getting RDP houses.

There toilets were cleaned twice a week,however in Sjwetla,there were more problems like not being able to use them at night for safety reasons from intruders and large rats.Also they were almost never kept clean.An appointment with Malatjie( a committee member) has been set up for next week to address the sanitation problems.

Elin said Miriam Makhubela was the Ward Councillor for this region (Ward 32) ie Alex, Westbank(Sjewetla) and that most often people were referred to Councillor Ngalonkulu (Ward 109),which includes Marlboro,Sandton and parts of Alex(Eastbank)-almost as if Silvertown does not exist and so no media will be able to address the issues,because in the first place, the wrong councillor will be interviewed.Elin said Makhubela has not visited Silvertown in a while and is not readily accessible to them for help.

DAY 7 - 13 Oct : Setting up of Interviews

DAY 7 - 13Oct

We had a short meeting with our supervisor, Margaret to recap our stories and get more direction with each of our stories.We discussed our angles.

After the meeting we tried to secure/confirm interviews with the respective people in our stories as we had planned to go back to Alex and Bez Valley tomorrow again.

DAY 6 - 12Oct : Caregiver at day care in Alex CBD,Presbytarian Church,Muthi Shop,Siyakana Food Garden.

DAY 6 -12 Oct

We had a meeting to confirm plans of action for the day in Alex.(Who we wanted to meet/speak to)
We then went to Alexandra and surrounding areas in Bez valley and spent most of the day there.

In Alex, we first went to a Day Care in Alex CBD and met a caregiver called Portia. She told us about the setbacks the day care centre experiences and her interaction with the children.

There was a problem of flooding, rodents(rats).They also have not started recycling as yet because previously the recycling containers were stolen.

She said there were people that were hired to clean up Alex and the Jukskei but they were from other communities like Thembisa or Mamelodi.She said that did not make sense because it was not sustainable- if their own members of the community were chosen it would firstly provide them with jobs, as many people were unemployed and also it would give them a sense of ownership of Alex ie this is where “we” live and that is why we will ensure it is always clean.

The refuse collection trucks (Pikitup) come everyday to pick up garbage.We visited a Presbytarian Church on 12th Ave ,the Reverend Moake Masango was overseas and so we were unable to speak to him.
We passed by a muthi shop in Selbourne street (Alex CBD) and walked in to find out from the healer, if they used water from the Jukskei in their potions.They were aware that the water is infected with harmful bacteria and could not be used for human consumption.

Later in the day we went to Siyakana in Bez Valley Park, a permaculture organic veggie patch.We met with Mandla Tshabalala,who works with Prof Rudolph from Wits Medical School on this project.There are nine people that work at this garden and the Jukskei river runs parallel to it (a bit further down in the park).Mandla who is a vegan and prepares most of his food from his very own garden.He spoke to us about the dangers of many animal products and how most of it is contaminate with hormones and chemicals,which has made disease rampant.

DAY 5 - 9Oct : Video Workshop & Other Diary Plans

DAY 5 - 9Oct

There was a workshop on videoing with Indra de Lanerolle. We were given quite a small and savvy piece of equipment and it was quite user friendly.We were given short assignments and then shown how to edit the video footage.

In addition I set up interviews for next week with the Department of Architecture at Wits to enquire about sanitation in informal settlements. Telephonic discussion with Joburg Emergency Services & National Disaster Management.I tried to get hold of the ward councillor/s of Sjewetla as well as persons in charge of servicing the portable loos. (Supreme Sanitation,Portabuild,Sathire)

DAY 4 - 8 Oct : Story Ideas Pitched to Supervisor

DAY 4 - 8 Oct

As a group we had a meeting to discuss our individual ideas for the news diary. We put the ideas together and pitched them to our supervisor (Margaret).We also discussed the media that would be suitable for each of the stories.We then looked at a comparative diary as a class,to check for any overlap of the stories.

Our group pitched flood management(from the National Disaster Management), and sanitation (the present and the future).Wits was involved in the Global Studio Project,which involves the upgrading of informal settlements in South Africa in way,such as roads,electricity and even sanitation.

Human stories about flood victims and the religious involvement like churches,mosques,baptisms,traditional healers is to be looked at.
A permaculture vegetable garden called “Siyakhana” at Bez Valley Park by the Jukskei river is being looked at.

Also, reporting on Children in Sjwetla in schools and what is their knowledge on the river and what teachers are doing to make children more aware of the dangers of the river.