Restoring Manenberg: A call for community action

Sedrico Husselman, former Manenberg resident

On a recent visit to my hometown, I was heartbroken by what I saw. Rubbish lay strewn across nearly every street corner. The roads were cracked and filled with potholes. The infrastructure, once the backbone of a thriving community, now lies in decay.

As a proud son of Manenberg, my heart sank. I couldn’t help but wonder: where did it all go wrong?

Nearly a decade ago, the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape government launched community engagement efforts aimed at tackling gangsterism, crime, and poverty. They spoke of a grand plan, thicker than a Bible, full of promises: a new hospital, a technical school, and much more. But what happened?

The once-functional GF Jooste Hospital has been demolished. It looks more like destruction than development. Instead of remodeling, they reduced. How can this community still take pride in where they live?

We must hold accountable those who allowed the heart of this place to be gutted. The politicians and civil servants behind this 'blueprint' got it wrong. They started with paperwork: environmental assessments, cost analyses, procurement debates. But they forgot about the people.

The first step should have been simple: improve lives, street by street.

Fix the roads. Renovate community centres and staff them properly. Upgrade clinics and healthcare facilities to deliver excellent service. Improve schools and give our children world-class learning environments. Plant trees on every corner. Reclaim and beautify green spaces. Inspire pride.

Once residents can see and feel real, visible change, only then can you talk about big-picture plans. Anything less is just hot air.