Demolition leaves man with disability in misery
MANZINI – A man with a disability whose three-bedroom house was demolished at Mhobodleni Zone 4 in Manzini, to give way to development, is living in misery since he did not get compensation from government.
David Vusi Dlamini (58) is currently living in a rented flat after the house he was living in, was demolished on April 15 this year.
The development, initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, covers areas such as KaKhoza, Mhobodleni, Ndofaya and New Village.
Already, an estimated more than 100 homesteads have been demolished within the four areas, while some have been earmarked for demolition.
The Ministry’s Engineer, Sipho Mkhabela disclosed to this newspaper over the weekend that the project which was ongoing had some of the demolished homes paid for, in a form of compensation, (though he had no official statistics, since he was not in the office during the interview).
Compensated
Mkhabela explained that Dlamini was not compensated because the place he was living in was not his home.
“Dlamini was not staying at his home. The home belonged to the Nxumalo’s. Due to his disability, we felt concerned for him, in that after we demolished the house, we allocated him a plot.
“He was not deserving of the plot, but because of his disability, we offered it to him,” he said. The place where Dlamini’s house was built, according to the government engineer, is a commercial area.
The plot in which it was built is earmarked for construction of a shop which is currently situated at an area where the ministry’s development project will take place.
The shop, ‘Esikhaleni Grocery’ which also doubles as a hardware, has to be shifted to the place where Dlamini’s house was demolished.
Negotiate
Mkhabela said they (ministry) advised Dlamini to negotiate with anyone to, at least build him a home, perhaps elsewhere outside the area, since he had no financial muscle to build a house, given his disability – and that in return, the ‘good Samaritan’ may acquire the plot.
Meanwhile, investigations by this newspaper show that Dlamini came to the area (Mhobodleni) to live in that house that had since been demolished, because of a close relationship with one Sipho Nxumalo who is now reportedly deceased. That was in the late 1990s.
Nxumalo is said to have left for the Republic of South Africa where he allegedly later died.
Asked to give his side of the story, Dlamini said, Nxumalo left him under the care of the three-bedroom house when he left for South Africa.
Nxumalo had first given Dlamini a one-roomed house as a token of appreciation for having assisted him to build the three-bedroom house that has since been demolished. Dlamini was said to be a builder himself before he was incapacitated by disability. He is an amputee as a result of diabetes and cancer.
“I am parentless. I don’t know my biological father and I grew up under the care of my stepfather,” he poured out to this journalist, adding that he further discovered he was sired by a Dlamini who was never known.
Dlamini said it was only when he was 46 years old of age when he discovered his original surname (Dlamini). Before, he thought he was a Motsa.
He said he was told by his aunt (Make
lomkhulu) that when he was born, his mother (LaMavimbela) came and showed the father the baby, and that was all.
The three-bedroom house that was demolished was built in 1999.
Further relating to this newspaper, Dlamini said no one troubled him in the house he was living in until the Housing Ministry started a development project.
The project included the demolition of some building structures, for road infrastructure.
This process meant that those whose houses were affected and would be demolished, were to get compensation – in a form of finance.
Entitlement
Thereafter, certain individuals who claimed to be Sipho Nxumalo’s next of kin emerged. They reportedly claimed entitlement to the compensation.
Dlamini disclosed that early this year, he received documents from the Mhobodleni Local Authority, a Housing Ministry department, which ordered him to evacuate the house. He said he later received a phone call from one official from the housing department, who instructed him to get out of the house immediately.
That was onApril 14, a day prior to Good Friday holiday.
“On Good Friday, I moved out my belongings from the house,” related Dlamini.
“I had to give way to the Nxumalo’s because they were closer to Sipho, my close friend, than I were.”
Dlamini said he appreciated that he was allocated a plot by the Housing Authority. His problem was how he would put up a structure on the plot, because he did not have money.
Dlamini’s case differs to that of others who, after their buildings were marked for demolition, they received compensation (money), plus a plot.
However, Dlamini only got a plot.
Even those who get compensated are unable to build new houses on the allocated plots, reason being that the system by which they should build their houses is technically and materially expensive.
Anyone willing to assist Dlamini, may call 7814 5132.