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

Phumza Manana and Mhlangabezi Mgibiza live in the informal settlement of Sanco-Ville, a place where basic services like electricity and running water are absent. Every time Phumza suffers an asthma attack, Mgibiza has to carry her through narrow footpaths to the ambulance, risking their health in the process. They have lived in a shack without basic amenities since 2020, hoping moving there would improve their lives.

However, they continue to rely on communal taps and pit toilets, with Phumza feeling exposed and ashamed. The settlement, near Allenridge in the Free State, has faced hazardous living conditions since 2014, with some residents already experiencing chronic asthma. Despite these challenges, the couple remains hopeful that relocating to a new informal settlement could provide a better future, although they remain skeptical of the promised improvements.