Senior citizens in desperate need of housing

By Emily Setona

QWAQWA – A Good Samaritan has successfully enlisted the help of the department of human settlements in building a house for an elderly woman, after failing to receive help from the local municipality.

David Molaoa is no ordinary community member. He is a kind-hearted person who does not want to see any of his neighbours suffering. After years of being pushed from pillar to post by the local municipality in her bid to procure an RDP house, Joyce Tshabalala, had all but given up any hope for better lodgings.

Neighbours advised her to approach Molaoa and tell him about her ordeal.  Molaoa then wrote to the Premier’s office and promptly received a response.

“The office of Premier Sisi Ntombela contacted the department of human settlements on my behalf and government officials were sent here to register Joyce Tshabalala for an RDP house.

“I have even written to the President’s office; they have responded and I have given them a list of the elderly people who are in desperate need of housing in my community,” said Molaoa, who is working towards making sure that a group of elderly community members receive decent houses.

After seeing Tshabalala receive her house with the assistance of Molaoa, many of the elderly community members of Mabolela have put their trust in their unsung hero to assist them to get their own RDP houses.

“We have seen the good things that this young man has done in our community, so we trust that he will help us to finally get our RDP houses,” senior citizen Tryphina Khomo said.

With the department of human settlements mandated by the government to prioritise building adequate housing for its citizens, it is the hope of these community members that by voting for the ANC they too will soon be counted as beneficiaries of RDP housing.

In his address to the residents of Maluti-a-Phofung at Riverside last Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa noted that South Africa is the only African country that builds its citizens free houses that are worth close to R160 000. He added that the government under the ANC has built over four million houses in South Africa, and the party continues to prioritize building adequate housing for its voters.