Building hope and a community threatened by protest
Locals voice their frustrations over alleged corruption linked to government houses in low-income communities amid Nelson Mandela Day campaign in Palm Ridge.
The youth from Tsietsi informal settlement in Palm Ridge threatened the success of the initiative by the Nedbank Group, in partnership with The Nelson Mandela Foundation and Habitat for Humanity, to build 10 new homes for South African families from low-income communities in Palm Ridge Extension 19 on Thursday.
Habitat for Humanity mobilised support from the metro, the Ministry of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Gauteng Provincial Government, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and private sector to realise the success of the builds on Mandela Day.
As multiple teams divided into groups to clean and help build eight homes in Palm Ridge, a demonstration by locals broke out.
It is alleged that a community member is selling the houses to residents while those who cannot afford his rates remain in shacks.
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Speaking to the GCN, Dikeledi Thabane from Phase Four in Tsietsi, said, “We live in shacks and the backrooms of our community, while thieves sell free government houses to us and our grandmothers.”
Swift law enforcement action ensured the demonstration did not last long, nor turn violent.
The initiative to build houses was in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Mandela Day in efforts to break the cycle of poverty.
“I’ve been involved in various campaigns in my own capacity to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s legacy, to have witnessed over 700 employees from Nedbank going out in communities across the country to carry on the legacy of generosity was no surprise because staff and client volunteerism initiatives are part of our work culture,” said Mike Brown, CEO of Nedbank Group.
“It aligns with our commitment to use our financial expertise to do good for individuals, families, businesses and society.
“We not only have staff, but clients as well who chose to roll up their sleeves and be involved in physically building houses for their fellow South Africans.”
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Eight homes costing around R100 000 each were built for beneficiary families in Palm Ridge, while two others were built in KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town.
“The builds are not only a practical way of harnessing the power of collaboration and partnership to uplift vulnerable families from shelter-poverty to self-reliance, they also help to break the cycle of poverty and unemployment by giving community members the opportunity to participate and learn construction skills that can enhance their employability,” said Greg Salter, the managing executive for Nedbank Home Loans.
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