TRAPPED EKASI

Fear and chaos mounts in SA’s townships as the gravity of the Covid-19 pandemic sets in. DRUM speaks to concerned residents about their plight

- QHAMA DAYILE

NZALI Hodini knows thenew rules by heart – stay at home, wash your hands regularly and if you must go out, stay away from others and you’ll be doing your bit to keep the deadly coronavirus at bay.

But living in a township makes it hard to apply the rules, the Khayelitsha mom tells us.

The Cape Town township is home to more than 400 000 people, about half of whom live in informal settle ments, sharing communal taps and toilets.

One case of the Covid-19 virus had been confirmed in the township, with five in neighbouring Mitchell’s Plain, atthe time of publication.

Nzali (40) lives in a four-room house which she shares with her brother, sister and two children. She’s done all she can to educate her family about the virus that’s caused chaos around the world.

“We bought hand sanitisers and everyone knows they have to wash their hands often, and cough into their elbows.”

But keeping kids inside is just about impossible, she says.

“The houses are close to one another. You take one step and you’re at the neighbour’s house,” Nzali adds.

‘. . .they have to walk two kilometres to the nearest tap’

Not far from her home is an informal settlement known as Island, where a single tap is the only water source for thousands of residents.

“Often the Island people come to get water from us or they have to walk two kilometres to the nearest tap. Their toilets have not been emptied in weeks and they are filthy,” she says.

“This affects the whole community because germs are easily spread and we could easily infect each other. We are scared.”