Maria, (not her real name), lives in Soul City informal settlement in Kagiso Mogale City, West Rand. Maria, the Eswatini national, came to South Africa in 1996. She is one of the informal hawkers Sunrise News met at the Kagiso Mall.
She, together with her countrymen managed to illegally cross the border post into South Africa through the Mpumalanga Province. Maria fled her autocratic country of birth and her abusive family at the age of 19.
She lived in Emalahleni during her first two years inside the country where she met her South African boyfriend “Mike”. They both have three children. The family had to move to Gauteng Province after Mike found work there, and also finding an abode at the Soul City informal settlement. After seven years in Gauteng, “Mike” decided to abandon Maria and her children in a shack
With a sad face Maria mentioned: “I thanked God that I managed to cross the border into South Africa. My life was in danger in Eswatini”.
Maria mentioned that she and another group of people were assisted by a group of men to illegally cross the border into South Africa. She said they were forced to take a risk and walk a long distance, mentioning that they feared for their lives from the wild animals or any danger that might have surprised them on their journey.
The last of the family of nine children, Maria mentioned that as her father was getting older, with ill health and with a cultural belief, had consulted a traditional healer. Her father would pay the traditional doctor’s bill with a cow, each time he consulted. He continued with the consultations until all of his cattle were finished. As her father’s health condition deteriorated, and ending up with a debt to the traditional healer, at age 4 her father sent her to go and live with the traditional healer’s family. She then grew up within that family together with the traditional healer’s children, with the understanding that they are ‘her real family’. She grew up knowing that the traditional healer was actually her real father.
She only uncovered the truth at the age of sixteen, when one day she got summoned to the hut of the old man. In the hut, she met with the old man and his old wife. They narrated to her how Maria ended up with their family, both informing her that, her then sick father, who was already late, had settled his debt to the traditional healer with Maria. According to the agreement between Maria’s real father and the traditional healer, Maria would become the second wife to the traditional healer at the age of sixteen.“The 79 year’s old man started to rape me every night, and I was only sixteen years old.” She mentioned how she was not allowed to attend school or play with her peers. Only that she must behave like a married wife to the old man.
Subsequent to that Maria would join other women during the day in the ploughing fields.“That is how most women survive in Eswatini.” She lamented, that employment was a blessing in disguise for her.
In the ploughing fields, she learned about people who are fleeing the country into South Africa. She also learned how life is so pleasant in South Africa.
Maria mentioned: “I learned about democracy in South Africa. I learned that women are enjoying their human rights, that in South Africa, women are not forced into marriage. They have the right to question that, here we have laws that are protecting everyone’s rights. Something that does not exist in Eswatini.
Maria related that, Jane, not her real name, tipped her that her younger brother was one of the people who assist people to cross the border illegally into South Africa. “I woke up early the next morning; packed my bag as usual when I go to the ploughing fields, then made sure that I take two pairs of shoes since I have been told that the journey to South Africa is very long.”
On the day, she mentioned that the workers usually enter the bush in case nature calls. She entered the bush and never looked back. She ran to the place where she met with a group of men who would help her to cross the border without any proper documents.
“It was a five days long unpleasant journey.” She lamented. The women were continuously raped along the way.” She mentioned that at night, they would hide from the authorities who are patrolling the boarder.
Maria opened up that it was a horrible terrifying experience where a woman would be raped by more than ten men. “They undress you and do as they wish with your body. With tears pouring down her sad face, Maria related, “I felt like dying in the bush. I thought I was running away from the abusive old man, only to find myself being raped by more than ten men.” She found herself in a dilemma, not knowing if she would ever reach South Africa.
Kelebogile Segomoco
Soweto Sunrise News
