Gogo’s RDP is renovated
Gogo Maria Mahlangu (79), who is partially blind, has been living in a collapsing Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) house for over a decade.
KwaThema – Gogo Maria Mahlangu (79), who is partially blind, has been living in a collapsing Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) house for over a decade.
Gogo says she reported the problem to the proper officials for years, without any success.
“I have been living in this house for more than 10 years. It started cracking about 10 years ago and whenever I tried reporting the problem, nobody was willing to help,” she says.
The gogo, who lives with her family in KwaThema Extension Six, says it hasn’t been easy living there as they constantly live in fear.
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She resides there with three of her daughters and grandchildren.
The house started cracking because the walls weren’t locked in properly and the foundation wasn’t firm enough, says Sipho Ndlovu, a representative of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco).
“We had a public meeting in March.
“That’s when we were told about the RDP house, which was basically on the brink of falling down,” says Ndlovu.
They then reached out to the Mahlangu family to offer their assistance.
“We saw it fitting to come and rebuild gogo’s house because it is important to take care of our elderly community and to ensure that they reside in a house that’s safe and well built,” says Ndlovu.
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Gogo says she is overjoyed that she and her family can finally live in peace.
“I would like to say thank you. I cannot explain how happy I am because it has been years of lodging complaints with no help.
“At one point I was robbed at gunpoint.
“That’s just how unsafe this place was,” says gogo.
