Syabonga drinking tea on a cold morningThis is a bit of a bulk entry. I am moving houses, so have been quite busy. All will go back to normal next week.
Ok, so Olga is back. Her troubles seem to be somehow related to a previous operation she had with a pregnancy gone wrong.
Thandi is still in Hospital. No one can really tell us what's going on. One minute they say she is to be operated on, next minute she is not. We also don't know how long they plan to keep her. Apparently by some demented twist of fate - the crazy man that hit Figile came and threatened her in hospital. I am definitely going to kill him.
Thandi's nephew came and took a change of clothes for her. Olga, who keeps having to go back to the hospital, also keeps visiting her. I will post as soon as I know more.
There is a crazy woman in the street. I don't know her name but she gets quite agro. She recently hit Figile with a crate and threatened Maria. Figile had a swollen arm, but she is better now.
In rather more disturbing news, I had the pleasure of meeting the head of NORA - Norwood/Orchards resident association. This is how it happened:
As Colleen and I stood outside, talking to Maria and Olga - we saw a Metro cop circling. He left and came back half an hour later, this time accompanied by a whole bunch of Norwood residents - the guy from the book shop, the large man from next door, etc.
''Look at those people, just sitting there'' - they were saying.
''And they pee on the wall too''
''Why must they sit here? why can't they get a job" - Hmmm... good point. I mean it's not like there is a huge unemployment rate or anything.
''They all look healthy, they can work''.
This is the part where Colleen piped up:
- actually most of these ladies are seriously ill.
This is when we met Chantal, the head of NORA. She runs a wedding dress shop in the area. We told her as much as possible about what we knew of the homeless in her area and their lives. We also tried to tell her that the Metro Police being called has an unnecessarily devistating effect on the community and doesn't solve anything. She agreed to meet with us in the near future to discuss what can be done
If anyone wants to help out with suggestions, comments on the situation etc directed at NORA - please post them here and we will pass them on
2 comments:
My suggestion is get a human rights activist/lawyer onboard.
organise to raise funds with the community somehow...to get them into a home off the streets. i know they are always full but if the residents want to 'get rid' of them and we want to see them in a safer place then maybe we could do with the money or connections these people may have. fighting with the residents assosciation isnt really going to help the homeless sleep better at night. it may stop them from calling the cops, which is great, but what is the final goal here? to see them out of danger and off the streets away from rape and abuse. lets propose something to the residents assosciation were we can work together to solve this issue. if they are not game then fuck them...fire with fire
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