Early Christmas for elderly taking ownership of their newly built homes
Government interventions to destitute families through the Department of Human Settlements became an early Christmas for uGogo Deli Mthembu, as she moved into her newly built and fully furnished house this week.
The 89-year-old senior citizen lives in the deep rural area of Mtilombo, Umlalazi Local Municipality in Eshowe, KwaZulu Natal, and was elated upon learning that she will spend Christmas in her new home. She is one of the four housing beneficiaries whose holidays will be a lot more special this year.
“Impilo yami ishintshile. Sengiyophuma endlini masekufika isikhathi sami sokuhamba”, said Gogo Mthembu on Friday, a pensioner who lives with her grandchild.
The Department approached various stakeholders, including Sinopa Construction and Van Tuka Trading, which agreed to partner and construct new homes for the beneficiaries under extraordinarily distressful circumstances requiring immediate intervention. In keeping with the mission to give back dignity, particularly to the most vulnerable, Team Human Settlements handed over more homes to destitute households in Gauteng, Northern Cape and the Western Cape.
The beneficiaries are 56-year-old Ms. Dikeledi Albinah Makou of Nelmapius, Mamelodi in the City of Tshwane, and 62-year-old Ms Xakiwe Vumazonke of Ward 3, Emthanjeni Local Municipality in De Aar in the Northern Cape. Ms Vumazonke currently lives with her two children, who like all other beneficiaries, receive social grants together with their family members.
Another beneficiary moving into her fully furnished house on Christmas Eve is 72-year-old Katrina “Aunt Thuli” Sambaba of Mamre at Atlantis in the City of Cape, who has lived in an informal structure for more than 40 years. She has been living with her grandchildren without proper sanitation, running water and relied on coal or firewood for cooking in an outside kitchen made of corrugated iron. Team Human Settlements, through its entity the Housing Development Agency (HDA), also handed over a newly built furnished home to Ms Dikeledi Albinah Makou (56) who is living with a disability. Ms Makou is unemployed and lives in a backroom with three grandchildren in a family backyard in Mamelodi East in Tshwane.
A fully furnished house would allow her to live in a decent, comfortable, and dignified home where she can enjoy her privacy while raising her three grandchildren in a safe environment. The new units handed over to beneficiaries comply with the Norms and Standards of houses constructed for persons living with a disability, inclusive of the necessary handrails, and burglar-proofed windows and doors for security.
“As we celebrate the festive season, I have also decided that the team at human settlements and its entities will focus their attention on ensuring that where we are able to intervene. We do so with speed to ensure that those in great need of government assistance are provided with shelter to improve their living conditions,” said Minister Kubayi.
“We continue to prioritise the provision of houses for our elderly citizens, child-headed households, and persons with disabilities. Our objective is to live in a country that is free of mud houses and where people live in security and comfort. It is heartwarming to see the private sector and other stakeholders come on board to help us respond to the plight of our people. We hope 2024 will see more private partners coming on board,” added Kubayi.
Ms Simphiwe Msibi committed that Sinopa Construction will continue to support government efforts to change people’s lives for the better, saying: “We sleep peacefully knowing we have made a difference in someone’s life”. Meanwhile, CEO of Van Tuka Trading, Mr Sylvester Lerato Mgijima-Bahume, one of the sponsors who made the construction of the 56 square metre house possible to accommodate Aunt Thuli’s big family in Atlantis, said it feels good that this year there’s a family that will be spending Christmas in a proper home built in a short space of time, taking into consideration the magnitude of the work that needed to be to be done.
As this year draws to a close, Team Human Settlements extends gratitude to all the stakeholders and partners who have made it easier to continue to house the nation and provide security and comfort. We remain steadfast in our commitment for accelerated delivery of sustainable human settlements to many others who are still waiting.
For Media Enquiries:
Hlengiwe Nhlabathi-Mokota, Spokesperson to the Minister
Cell: 064 754 8426
E-mail: Hlengiwe.Nhlabathi@dhs.gov.za
Nozipho Zulu, DHS Head of Communications
Cell: 078 457 9376
E-mail: Nozipho.Zulu@dhs.gov.za
