News24 | HOME TOWN | Voices from Madidi: A ‘forgotton’ village struggles with unemployment

At first glance, the appearance of Madidi in the North West, looks vastly different from what it did in 1994. (Belinda Pheto and Sharlene Rood)

At first glance, the appearance of Madidi in the North West, looks vastly different from what it did in 1994. (Belinda Pheto and Sharlene Rood)

Belinda Pheto

At first glance, the appearance of my home village, Madidi in the North West, looks vastly different from what it did in 1994. 

Before democracy, there was no electricity, water or roads, and there wasn’t much infrastructure. There is more infrastructure now. There is also electricity (but the supply over the last few years has deteriorated – this is outside the usual load shedding), piped water taps were installed (although taps have remained dry for more than 10 years in high-lying sections of the village), and there are roads (although they are riddled with potholes). 

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