It might be one of the most famous townships of the southern Joburg area demarcated the South Western Townships (Soweto) by the 1930s white government, but it is not as fab as it looks on TV.
With another general election around the corner, residents of Diepkloof, established by the apartheid government in 1959 as Diepmeadow, now only just want to know when they can all have access to basic services such as water, housing, sanitation, and electricity.
For Sibongiseni Khoza, the small, daily indignities constantly stick in the craw.
It seems like the more things change, the more they stay the same for residents of Diepkloof Hostel, says the leader and Induna of the hostel.
Now they have had enough. And the government seems to have heard them.
Speaking to Drum, a day after the MEC for Human Settlement and Infrastructure Development Lebogang Maile visited the hostel, Sibongiseni says when promises are made by officials, people become hopeful because they are desperate for change.
The MEC's visit follows a recent protest to draw attention to the plight of residents.
They didn’t just wake up one morning and protest to be disruptive, says Sibongiseni Khoza, but they protested because their living conditions are inhumane.
They saw it fit that, while the leaders are canvasing for their political parties, the same leaders should answer and assist in improving their daily living conditions.
But no leader comes to tell them what they will do for them, they just ask for votes and leave them to fend for themselves, a seemingly despondent Sibongiseni tells Drum.
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The hostel leader and Induna says they are pleading with the government leaders to provide them with housing or renovate the hostel as it is currently dilapidated.
“People are living in houses that are not in good condition and safe to stay in because they are falling apart. We are asking the powers that be to fix our houses, people from the hostel are not violent, we just become angry when people do not fulfil their promises.”
It seems a dismissive attitude to Sibongiseni, but he is adamant the outstanding issues in the historic hostel must be dealt with ahead of the polls.
“It is important for the residents to get basic needs," he tells Drum.
“Surveyors and engineers once came to the hostel and told us that they condemned the hostel because it was not in a good condition for people to live in.
“We are in desperate need of family units. As it stands, we are living in one rooms with our families.
“At least if they can build family units so that we can live freely with our families.”
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Their only plea now is for the current hostel to be demolished then rebuilt from scratch with a better plan, says Sibongiseni.
“We are not being violent, and we won’t be violent.
“We are simply asking for a developed hostel, title deeds, and order.
“There are places that started as shacks in an open land and, in no time, there is electricity and toilets.
“We, on the other hand, are still using the bucket system yet we have been living in this hostel for years.
“We only got water and electricity in 2023.
“We are not violent, we are fighting for our rights.”
