IN PICTURES: Life in Cape Town's Marikana

17 February 2017 - 16:36 By Masixole Feni
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The “main road” of Marikana is a canal of stagnant water.
The “main road” of Marikana is a canal of stagnant water.
Image: Masixole Feni, GroundUP

This week the Western Cape High Court reserved its judgment about what will happen to Marikana informal settlement in Philippi East‚ Cape.

This decision will affect 60 000 people living on private land that they began occupying several years ago. The land owners want the state to buy them out or compensate them. The state is reluctant. Nearly everyone agrees eviction is not an option.

On Tuesday Masixole Feni photographed life in the settlement.

“They live here not out of choice. They live here out of desperation‚” said advocate Irene de Vos‚ who is representing the Marikana residents. But even in desperation‚ there is hustle‚ bustle and great effort to make life tolerable and dignified.

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This article was first published by GroundUP.

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