TWO CHURCHES, BRIDGE CLUB AND CAR GUARD COME TO HOMELESS MAN’S AID
In September last year, Talk of the Town published an article about Lindile Bhamba, a destitute man in poor health living in squalor in Nemato.
A local car guard, Edward Nomfele, who lives in the main RDP house on the property, brought the plight of Bhamba to TotT’s attention in an effort to expose his terrible living conditions and appeal for help from the community.
Although poor themselves, Nomfele and his wife had committed themselves to providing Bhamba with breakfast and supper each day.
The article caught the attention of a number of readers, and thanks to the combined efforts of the Wesley Methodist and Catholic Churches in Port Alfred, a new shack was handed over to Bhamba the week after Christmas.
The way volunteer Dermot Moore described Bhamba’s previous living circumstances, “the Black Hole of Calcutta would have looked like 5-star accommodation to him.”
The members of the Port Alfred Bridge Club, which meets at the Moth Hall, also collaborated with Nomfele to secure various essential items for Bhamba.
Nomfele provided a small portion of his own plot in Nemato on which to place the new shack.
“Thanks also to Peter and Colleen Wallach from the UK who financed a bed, to Settlers Park who donated two windows and a carpet, and to Build-It for their discount on materials,” Moore said.
Representing the two churches, Emil Jurgensen, Jo Rice and Don Kelly visited Bhamba in his new shack.