Housing struggles for the disabled
Ms Minah Funani, who is blind, is fighting for housing for disabled people in Gauteng.
“The disabled community demands a 10 percent in housing allocation and this is government policy,” said Ms Funani.
Ms Funani said when houses are allocated, 10 percent should be handed over to people with disabilities and the elderly, but it is not done.
Ms Funani, who serves on the disability desk in the Parliamentary Constituency Office (PCO), said disabled people have had housing problems since 1996 when they registered for RDP houses.
She blamed disabled people’s struggles with housing on corruption.
“The house I applied for was issued in 1998 but I was never notified. Thereafter, the system kept saying I already have a house. I only received my house in 2004, following a fierce confrontation that involved lawyers,” she said.
Ms Funani said disabled people around Gauteng have housing problems but they don’t know where to go for help.
“The Tembisa PCO is the only PCO that has a disability desk. Another concern is that a disabled person is allocated a house which has no accessibility for the disabled.
“For example, a house that is conducive for a blind person will have a railing. A house for a deaf person must have a door switch which has a flickering light inside to indicate that there is a person knocking at the door,” said Ms Funani.
She said on June 12, an official from the housing department, Mr Stone Diphoko, visited the area and addressed the disabled community. He confirmed that their plight was the result of corruption in housing allocation.
“He addressed people with disabilities and listened to our grievances,” said Ms Funani.
According to Ms Funani, the Tembisa Disability Forum is deciding on a date to embark on a march against the housing corruption that leaves many disabled people without housing.
