Long wait for home comes to end

LULAMA MPALWENI, 49, who has been living on a Grabouw farm for 26 years, is one of the beneficiaries who received a home for the first time.

The beaming Mpalweni, who was one of the 18 recipients, said: “I lived on a farm from 1991 in a one-roomed house which was becoming too crammed with my wife and six children.”

He said they lived under bad conditions and some of his children had slept on the floor because he house was so small.

Mpalweni said there was also no privacy but he was happy that he had finally got a new house. “I’m very happy about the new house. It feels as if something has been lifted off my shoulders, and my children will have their own rooms.” He said his children would be closer to school and the younger ones could also now start attending school.

Bernice Jacobs, 39, said she was happy for her mother, Christine Smith, 66, who has been living in a caravan in a backyard. “I can’t describe how bad it was for my mother in that caravan, which made her sick. It was heartbreaking to see her live like that.”.

She said her pensioner mom would complain every day about the conditions. “She burst into tears when her name was called,” said Jacobs.

MEC for Human Settlements Bonginkosi Madikizela handed over the houses to the beneficiaries in Grabouw yesterday.

The Rooidakke People’s Housing Project was aimed at assisting residents of Grabouw living in informal settlements, farms and backyard dwellings.

It will comprise 1 169 units on completion. To date, over 600 units have been delivered. –