NGO helps resident rebuild house after flood
East London-based NGO It's All About Image is calling on residents to help Jessie Mangesi rebuild after her house partly collapsed in the January floods.
Mangesi, who lives in Kulogaxa just outside Ntabozuko (formally Berlin), said she was in her bedroom when it happened.
“I was in the house on the bed, then I see the storm out the window behind me and I say 'what's it doing’.
“My baby was crying, and then the roof came down. I jumped and ran outside.”
Go!& Express went to examine the house on Tuesday and were shown about by Mangesi's neighbour Nompumezo Gwadiso, who lives next door.
The section where Mangesi's bedroom used to be had been torn down completely with new temporary walls erected to protect the inside of the house.
The front wall had also been damaged during the storm and was being propped up with wooden poles. Mangesi said she was worried that it too could collapse at any time.
“I'm sleeping in the kitchen now because I'm scared of the front,” she said.
It's All About Image founder Klaus Rodeman said the organisation was hoping to raise funds to purchase building materials which they could use to repair the house.
“The main thing would be sand, stone and cement. Zinc sheets are always welcome, you can do a lot with those,” Rodeman said.
“She would also need a door.” Residents who are unable to contribute materials but would still like to help can make a cash donation directly to It's All About Image.
“Any amount above R5,000 would help Mangesi. It would at least be a beginning,” said Rodeman.
Cash donations can be made to the following account:
Bank: ABSA Bank,
Acc. No 4097551565,
Acc Holder : ITS ALL ABOUT IMAGE. All money donated will go towards purchasing additional building materials for the repair work.
For more information, residents can call Rodeman at 083-324-5032.