Shack Dwellers Take Matters Into Their Own Hands Creating Makeshift Speed Bumps

In a bold move born out of desperation and concern for their community's safety, volunteer shack dwellers from Covid Village in Cape Town took to the streets to construct makeshift speed bumps along the notorious Old Faure Road near Mfuleni. Their actions were a response to the repeated incidents of speeding and deadly accidents which have plagued their community, culminating most recently in a tragic collision that claimed the lives of a local resident and a taxi driver.

The improvised traffic-calming measures followed a standstill protest on Monday, where the main thoroughfare of Mew Way near Mfuleni was blocked by the residents demanding that the city authorities install proper speed bumps. This protest was a direct extension of the Saturday blockade of Old Faure Road, where burning tyres and debris served as a fiery statement of the community's frustration and grief.

Despite the evident dangers and fatalities, which community leader Siviwe Mgqala quantified as approximately 25 deaths and 20 injuries since 2020, the ward councillor reported that the City of Cape Town deemed the road unsuitable for speed bumps. Mgqala's outreach to city officials, expressing the urgent need for speed bumps and better basic services, has been met with what the community considers to be insufficient action. The disdain was amplified when their request for a dialogue was allegedly disregarded by their ward councillor.

The community's self-help response manifested in the construction of about five cement-based speed bumps, created with the materials at hand, such as stones and spades. This grassroots infrastructure project was not merely a form of protest but also a direct effort to prevent future accidents by reducing the high-speed traffic that has become all too common along Old Faure Road.

Pumeza Pawuli, a resident whose shack was obliterated in the recent accident, shared her harrowing experience and called for assistance to rebuild her home. In a similar vein, Nolitha Balimani, whose family was almost struck in the same incident, urged for a relocation solution to the constant threat posed by the high-speed traffic.

On the official side, Ward Councillor Ernest Madikane claimed proactive measures post-accident, providing food and building materials to those affected. Madikane highlighted the complexity of the situation, explaining that the original road design did not take into account the eventual settlement of people along the roadside. Unfortunately for the residents, he reiterated that an assessment ruled out the installation of speed bumps.

While the residents of Covid Village seek safety and stability, their actions have broader implications, affecting local taxi drivers and the wider community's transportation needs. The Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (Codeta), through spokesperson Nceba Enge, expressed concerns about the road closures' negative impact on their operations and the inconvenience for Mfuleni commuters.

Despite the roadblocks, both literal and bureaucratic, the shack dwellers of Covid Village are demonstrating their resolve to fight for their right to a safe living environment, hoping to drive home the message that their lives, too, are worth protecting.