Elderly woman loses housing battle
70-year-old Ms Elsie Thokozile Abraham is afraid of ending up on the street after she failed to pay for her house in Entshonalanga Section in Tembisa.
Ms Abraham will be evicted from her house on July 31. She told The Tembisan that she received an eviction letter from the court, stating that she should be out of her home by next Thursday.
The mother of five, who currently lives with her grandchildren, is not yet ready to give up the home she has lived in for 22 years.
“This is my home,” she said, with tears streaming down her face.
It is believed her house was auctioned for R 18 000. When she appealed to the new owner, she was told to pay R290 000 if she wanted to keep the house.
Local residents reacted with shock and anger at the situation.
Some residents have threatened to burn down the house if Ms Abraham is evicted. Others have painted warning signs on the house, stating, “Enter at your own risk, Danger, Gevaar, Ingozi.”
Her neighbour, Ms Mavis Mandlovu, said it is a pity that the elderly are left to live on the streets.
“Homelessness is a plight in our society and nobody should be without a home. It is particularly shocking to hear of elderly people left to live on the streets with no one to care for them,” said Ms Mandlovu.
She said something should be done to help the elderly from being evicted from their homes.
