MLUNGUS who live side by side with black people in Pango squatter camp say they wouldn’t trade their lives for anything.
Residents of the squatter camp in Munsieville, Mogale City, told Daily Sun even though they didn’t have electricity or running water, they felt fulfilled.
Community leader Hugo van Niekerk said: “When we came here black people welcomed us and even made food for us.”
Close to 350 white squatters live in shacks in Munsieville. As there’s no electricity they cook and warm themselves on open fires and use candles.
“We grew up being told black people weren’t nice to be around, but what we have seen here is completely different. We tell those still living in the colonial past to change.
“Blacks are people like us,” said Hugo.
Hugo’s wife, Irene, said they were moved from Coronation Park to Munsieville by the Mogale City Municipality in December 2014.
“We have been living here for three years now and we love every moment of it.”
Hugo said there were mixed race couples in the area and nobody had a problem with it.
“We want to start a panel beating and spray painting workshop to employ people here but we don’t have the tools to do so.
“We appeal to those businesses with old tools to donate them to us.”
The SunTeam spoke to some of their black neighbours who said they loved living with the mlungus.
Noziviwe Ntyantyi said: “We are a family and we share. This is a rainbow squatter camp.”
Mkhuseli Vilakazi said his girlfriend was white and they had two kids. “I taught her how blacks live and she has adjusted very well.”
