Fire victim set to receive new home
A WOMAN living with cancer, who lost everything when her house burnt down during a lightning storm and has spent all these years staying with relatives will soon have her very own home.
In the meantime, Ntombenkosi Mbutho, 65, was happy to receive a two-roomed temporary house on Friday from Eastern Cape premier, Phumulo Masualle.
Mbutho became destitute when her house and belongings were destroyed by a fire in 2014. Her proper home is being built on a new site allocated to Mbutho.
Masualle said the provincial government in collaboration with Ingquza Hill Municipality assisted in securing the temporary accommodation, furniture, blankets, groceries, and other essentials while Mbutho’s permanent house is being completed.
The site is at Mpungutye Village in Lusikisiki.
He also said the department of health would transport her to and from her oncology appointments, while working on a permanent solution of bringing the oncology service closer to the citizens in the area.
The premier said: “We have to worry ourselves about the wellbeing of women, because women are as capable as men, if not more sometimes, women are able to find a way even when things seem bleak, and that is why we celebrate them.”
Mbutho said she could not believe she would soon have a house to call her own.
“I survive on my pension grant, I would have never been able to rebuild my house which was destroyed in the fire. I had given up on ever finding a place to call home. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude,” said Mbutho.
The day’s festivities were organised to mark the end of Women’s Month and, after inspecting Mbutho’s temporary home, the premier continued to downtown Lusikisiki where he marched to the area’s court with young people, to hand over a petition that addressed the social ills that affect local communities and how they wish justice should take its course.
The last leg was at Lusikisiki Training College where communities gathered to celebrate women in society. —