Another Community Story

Hi All

This time we have a contribution from: Sindiswa Dassie and Mrs Dlengezele and written up by Bulelwa Dassie, Yoliswa Rala and Luyando Jonas, all from class 11B. Above is a picture of a township house perched high on a steep embankment.

The past of our community: eDamini and Bongani

We once lived in eDamini. We were removed from eDamini because they wanted to build a dam in the area and they said it was dangerous for people to live in that area and we went to live in Bongani.

We built our own houses and rented the land for R1.50 and we stopped paying rent in 1985.

When we lived in eDamini we fetched water from the river. Also when we lived in Bongani we fetched water from the river until the community field was built and we stopped because they said it was unhealthy for us to drink water that came from the river and they introduced taps to us.

When we went to town or to work we used to wake up at 5.00 am if we wanted to be on time for the bus because it left at 6.00am. And back then we had no electricity.

When the bus came back, it stopped at Nekkies and did not go to other locations. It didn’t matter where you lived or how much groceries you had to carry. You walked to where you lived, with your groceries. We used to pay 6 cents for bus fare and there were only four buses that transported the entire Knysna.

We used to go to White Location for school. Grades 1 and 2 were in Flenter, and grades 3 to 7 were in White Location where Chris Nissan is now. We also used to have a church as a school.

We have almost finished the year's Community Stories booklet. Once it is done we are hoping to put some of the best stories up on the BBC website. (See link to the right marked NISA).

Cockroach update:

On some more household news. The cockroaches were becoming too bold to put up with so yesterday we had the house fumigated. This means that we have to wash everything BEFORE we use it, i.e. cups, plates, glasses etc. Not sure what the impact has been on the clothes I had hanging in the wardrobe. Perhaps I will come out in a rash ... or succumb like the unfortunate cockroaches OR NOT. After the blitz a cockroach sauntered out of one of the bedrooms, bold as you like. Admittedly not full size but still, rather discouraging.

Bye for now.
Claire