Identity documents are essential!

By Nomacebo Mbayo

BM section is an informal settlement based in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, with a history of the community being victims of fire in winter. The community established a community development centre in 2014 when the community experienced the unfortunate fire that destroyed people’s livelihood. The fact that political powers were at play the community decided to establish a non political organisation that would benefit everyone in the community regardless of which political party they belonged to. 

The BM community Development Project has been operating ever since to accommodate the community members at large. “Dealing with community issues throughout the years has not been easy, little did we know that with COVID-19 there are even bigger problems” said Masakhane, one of the community members involved in the project.

The community project dealt with these issues and provided a soup kitchen before the COVID-19 and also provided food parcels during lockdown, created a safe space for children with after school care, taught children how to read and assisted with homework, including running a food gardening to support the soup kitchen. However most of the programme had to stop because of the regulations around staying at home and social distancing during COVID-19. After realising the importance of the centre operating in these hard times the community had to get a permit to operate as soon as that was in order they started to operate remotely allowing people to collect food parcels for the beneficiaries of the community centre.

The project is facing a lot of challenges in teams of funding, the community hall was donated by Jan who later disappeared without a trace.

Sikelelwa Tomase, 28 who was born in the Eastern Cape,  a beneficiary of the center is facing even worse problems. Born in 1992 Sikelelwa has never owned a birth certificate meaning no identity document as well. In tears, she expressed her disappointment in all the route she has taken in an attempt to get her documentation. This 28 year old woman and both her daughters are non-existent according to Home affairs. Social workers from the Department of Social Development, The Department of Home Affairs as well as the local Councillor Monde Nqulwana have failed this family.

“One of my biggest challenges is that I cannot access anything that requires an identity document, no social grant for my two children, no job opportunities, no roof over their head, even the dream of education is gone with the wind” said the young mother with a broken heart. 

Her seven year old daughter who is supposed to be in school already could tell that mom is in pain. Both her children cannot even start school, the family is asking the government to intervene. Nolisindiso Nkawule, community leader raising concern about how this affects the children said “the trauma these two little girls have to face every time they try to settle down in a place they call home. They are chased away and have no choice but to move on because they do not have any income”. 

Community members expressed their concern that this is not the only case in the community where children are not in possession of a birth certificate. In conclusion, they call on people who are able to support the community project in any way possible to contact the community  project at bmcommunitydevelopment@gmail.com.