South Africa: 'When She Can't Breathe, I Carry Her' - Living Without Basic Services in Sanco-Ville

What the report says

In a Health-e report distributed by AllAfrica, residents of Sanco-Ville informal settlement in the Free State describe daily life without electricity, running water or flush toilets, despite having lived there for years. The article focuses on Phumza Manana and her partner, Mhlangabezi Mgibiza, who say that when Manana has an asthma attack, he must carry her along narrow footpaths to a point where an ambulance can reach them. Their shack is on an inaccessible dirt road, and they say the lack of services makes her condition more dangerous.

The report says about 188 families live in Sanco-Ville, near Allanridge in Matjhabeng Local Municipality. It also notes that residents were relocated there in 2014, but basic services have still not been provided. Several households share communal taps and pit or mobile toilets, while some residents say they rely on paraffin, gas or wood fires for cooking. Another resident family, Mahlomola Malako and Ntsiki Dlomo, describe similar hardships, including fetching water while pregnant and raising a child without home services.

The article says some residents have been told they may move to Kalusha Village and Allanridge Extension 2, but not everyone believes the new sites will offer better conditions. Ward councillor Paseka Ramatisa said electricity installation has begun in Kalusha and that more land is being identified, while the municipality continues planning future housing options. The report adds that the Free State government announced an emergency housing intervention in 2025 to relocate families from hazardous areas, though residents say the process has been delayed.