Today is a great day indeed.
As we celebrate women’s month we are making sure that we honour and acknowledge the heroes who fought for the freedom of women oppression and gender equality. Today is indeed one of our great stories to tell as Human Settlements.
It’s a day where Mrs Dyidi has just been discharged from hospital and into her new disable friendly home. I am excited to be here and we are fully aware and conscious that this hand over forms part of our women empowerments programmes as Human Settlements.
Mama uRweqana thank you for being here today to celebrate this auspicious moment with us. This morning at 04:50 Rev Reqwana and I spoke on her radio show about this hand over, and it brought joy to both of us to go through the journey of how Mrs Dyidi situation came to our attention as Human Settlements.
I visited Mrs Dyidi home last year in November on my outreach programmes in and around the Western Cape. When I arrived at her home, i was surprised to see the same woman I used to stand in line with at Pollsmoor during the Oscar Mphetha trial. I was sad to see the same active Mother of Morgan Makhubalo one of the Oscar Mphetha trial was now bedridden.
I visited the home of Mrs Dyidi who than lived with her five year old grandson. uMama was identified by her community as she has been bed ridden and unemployed for 12 years due to obesity and ill health.
When we first got here this house was falling apart with no roof in the kitchen and dilapidated all over. The interesting part is how her five year old grandson helped his granny cook on her bed and tidy the house. Thanks to the media houses who told the plight of this family.
This ladies and gentlemen goes to show that media and government can work together to change the lives of South Africa and take our country forward. I would like to thank in particular the vigilant and caring media woman who covered this story and assisted us in exposing Mama’s situation to be able to pull in various partners to help this family.
I am thankful to everyone who helped us as Human Settlements make Mama Dyidi’s prayers and dreams a reality. These are the fruits of PPP partnerships and how this builds better communities.
I would like to thank the sub council chairperson Belinda Landingwe for opening her doors and allowing Human Settlements to build Mrs Dyidi this house. And thank in particular the ward councillor Mr Mangali for working with us on this project and the Honourable MP of this area Thandi Mahambehlala who told me about this case and brought it to our attention.
We must all note that houses don’t come from the sky but threw progressive partnerships at a local level so we deliver to our people.
Allow me to thank the department of Human Settlements especially our entity NHBRC which without them we would not be able to provide this house. I am truly glad to see some of the NHBRC board members present here today in support of our projects.
To Kavango builders no amount of words can say how grateful we are for you coming on board and building this house using new building technologies. Houses are not built with just bricks and water but with new alternative technologies to build sustainable habitual homes. I am proud to be a South African and a citizen that is part of changing people’s lives and building our country brick by brick.
Various government departments came together to help this family.
To the department of health thank you for everything you have done to assist Mama medically and your patience with us as we were building Mrs Dyidi home. To the department of social development thank you for assisting the family with their social grants and food packages you have provided.
Allow me to thank correctional services because without the department of correctional services we would not have a specialised bed for Mrs Dyidi. Commissioner Klaas please relay our gratitude to your team that continues to work with us on various projects.
Ladies and gentle working together truly we can do more and this project symbolises the power of PPP partnerships. Thank you to the officials of Human Settlements led by the Chief Director Litha Jolobe, my staff and other department officials present here today for all their hard work on this project.
Today rest assured the bones of our fallen heroes your likes of Mama Holo, Oscar Mphetha, Tata Stuurman, Stenner, and Toto Botha are truly turning in their graves with joy to see the work we doing here in Nyanga. Their deaths were surely not in vain and their struggles were not in vain and we are proud to be here.
Malibongwe!
Wathinta Abafazi
Phantsi ngendlala phantsi Phambili nge Zindlu Phambili Enkosi
