The Free State premier has advised displaced people whose houses were damaged in the Jagersfontein mudslide not to rush to rebuild their homes in the same place.
The provincial government is assessing the damage in the small town while affected people have different views on whether to go back or to relocate.
Premier Sisi Ntombela's spokesperson Palesa Chubisi said the provincial government has started assessing the amount of damage caused by the sludge which has left parts area of Charlesville covered in mud.
“The priority for provincial government is to see how best to rebuild the area. But obviously there has to be an assessment that is done. A human settlements team has been sent to the area to see if the affected area can be rebuilt or not.
“At the moment the priority of government is making a decision on whether to rebuild or relocate people elsewhere. When we speak to displaced families, all they want is to go back to their places. Government is saying to them we cannot take them back if we do not know if it is safe. We have experts looking at the suitability of the land for housing,” Chubisi said.
Residents who are being housed in guest houses and local hotels in Jagersfontein have started thinking about rebuilding their homes.
Bulelwa Mthatha, 27, who lives with her cousin and 64-year-old grandmother Nolungile Mthatha, said they were not willing to be relocated as that was the only home they knew.
“We have nowhere else to go. This is home. I was born here, I grew up here, I am not willing to move. Government must rebuild our home,” she said as her grandmother swept out mud from their three-bedroom house.
“Even though this is a lot of work but this is home and I want it to be fixed. Not temporarily, but permanently fixed,” Mthatha said.
Jagersfontein Development, which is responsible for the dam whose walls broke on Sunday, has pledged R20m towards rebuilding the homes and paying the medical bills of survivors.
While Mthatha does trust government to fulfil its promise, she wasn't willing to give up on trying to rebuild their home.
More than 200 people were displaced when the mining waste dam burst, flooding the area and even washing away people’s homes. One person was confirmed death and another is still missing.
Kenalemang Lecoko, 52 who has been living in Charlesville for 20 years said she wanted nothing to do with Charlesville.
“I want nothing to do with this place. If they gave me the option to relocate, I would take it in a heartbeat.
“I don't feel safe here. I can't even sleep thinking there's more coming. I am in fear. My house looks like it will collapse and I am scared this might happen again. I really don't want to be here. It depresses me. I’m done with this place,” Lecoko said.
Another resident, Susan Mofubetsoana, 59, said she and her husband have decided to relocate after living in the area for two decades.
“What if we die next time? I don't want that place totally. I am traumatised and hope that we can start afresh elsewhere.
“I can still hear the flow of the mud while I am sleeping. I get nightmares from having being stuck in the mud with my daughter thinking we were dying,” Mofubetsoana said.
sibiyan@sowetan.co.za
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