Blind elderly man waits for home
Hut with half a roof, a refuge as BCM promise falls flat
MATOTOSE Dyakalashe, a partially blind 82-yearold man from Xhameni Location in Chalumna, who has been living alone for the past 20 years, says he has lost hope of ever living a dignified life.
Dyakalashe lives in a hut that has half a roof with no access to water, electricity – or any infrastructure that can make his life bearable.
The elderly father of one, claims he was promised a house by Buffalo City Metro five years ago, however, the construction of the home had stopped at the foundation.
“Every year I get promises that they will come and build this house but nothing happens. I have been living in this condition for as long as I can remember. This has become my reality,” Dyakalashe said.
BCM said they would need to investigate the matter before commenting. The Saturday Dispatch visited Dyakalashe in Xhameni Location. The Dispatch team could see him sitting on his bed through cracks in his door.
Dyakalashe said he had fallen ill because of the rain and cold that came through the half open roof.
“I shiver like a small puppy every time it rains. In winter I sometimes cannot feel my limbs because of the cold that gets inside this house.”
Dyakalashe said five families in the area were promised houses due to their circumstances, however, only two received completed structures. Nokwayiyo Mditshwa, a neighbour who occasionally looks after Dyakalashe, said his health was starting to worsen.
“Every year we are hopeful that at least the municipality will make good on its word and build the house it promised this old man but every year we deal with the reality that it does not,” said Mditshwa.
Dyakalashe was part of the group of people that were moved from farms around East London and placed temporarily in Xhameni in 1958.
“My life has been characterised by poverty for as long as I can remember,” he said.
Buffalo City Metro spokesman Sibusiso Cindi said: “We have sent the relevant questions to the department concerned, which is housing.
“I presume they do not know about the issue however I am sure they will investigate the matter, either by visiting Dyakalashe or using what ever means they have to determine what happened to the construction of the house.” — simthandilef@dispatch.co.za