eMba old people have a sit-in at municipality over RDP houses

SECUNDA – The elderly from eMbalenhle were protesting outside the Govan Mbeki Municipality in Secunda this morning, 27 May.

They said they have been applying for RDP houses and stands in eMbalenhle, but they are “always overlooked”.

Most of the elderly are living in rented shacks.

A woman said all her children were born in eMbalenhle, but now she does not have a place to stay other than renting a shack.

Mr Naphtal Jiyane (64) said he applied for an RDP house, but it was built on someone else’s stand.

“My stand number is 11358 in Ext 14, but when I went to enquire about my RDP house, I was told it was built on stand number 11385 in Ext 14.

“It was built in 2000 and since then the municipality has been promising to build me another one, but it never happened,” said Mr Jiyane.

Ms Thokozile Tshabalala said she is receiving high bills for water from the municipality which she is unable to pay.

“I get bills of R2 000 a month and sometimes R6 000 and when I go to the municipal office, I am told they cannot help me,” said Ms Tshabalala, a pensioner.

Ms Maria Makhubu has also been applying for an RDP house for the last 20 years, but in vain.

“A government official told me I had to pay R14 000 to get an RDP house, but I refused because I did not have that kind of money,” said Ms Makhubu.

Mr Sbu Hlolweni who once walked 300km to submit a petition about the old people’s problems, said the MEC of Social Development, Ms Nomsa Mtsweni, went to eMba to see for herself the condition under which the elderly are living.

He also said the MEC recommended to the mayor that the elderly should be given a place to stay as a matter of urgency.

Mr Hlolweni said he has been raising this issue himself and has all the evidence to show that he wrote a letter to the office of the Public Protector, who also recommended that the elderly be provided a place to stay.

“All these old people have been applying for RDP houses since the dawn of democracy, but they never got them.

“Today we are going to sit here at the municipal building until the elderly get a place to stay,” said Mr Hlolweni.

Ms Nandipha Nompumza who was also supporting the elderly, said it is time that the municipality builds a shelter for the elderly and orphans of the Govan Mbeki municipal area.

“It is not good to see old people struggling like this and there are many child-headed families that need to be taken care of,” said Ms Nompumza.

The marketing and communication spokesman of the Govan Mbeki Municipality, Mr Bheki Kubheka, was unavailable for comment.

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