Bhobhoyi pensioner in desperate need of house

For nearly five years, Khethiwe Veronica Dlamini (72) of Ward 32 in Bhobhoyi, has been living in a house without a roof, and has become an easy target for criminals.

According to Ngcobo, her house was damaged in a heavy storm in 2021, and she has been unable to repair it, nor get the necessary help.

She added that representative from various government departments have visited her, taken photos and her details, but nothing has been done.

“During heavy rain my house always floods,” said a despondent Ngcobo.

A concerned neighbour, Bonisile Gumede, said the community has tried to get help for Dlamini from the disaster department, but to no avail.

“Her life is in danger because of the state of her house which can collapse at any time,” said Gumede.
Furthermore, she added that the pensioner is at risk because neighbours have noticed that people go into her house at night and do who knows what.“My worry is that because of her mental state she is not aware of what happens while she is asleep.”
The acting spokesperson for Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, Nomusa Zulu, confirmed that Dlamini was part of the beneficiary list for the KwaNdwalane Housing Project.

Zulu said that as an elderly person she falls into the group of the vulnerable, hence, she would have been prioritised in line with the Department of Human Settlement’s policies.

“Unfortunately her application was not approved by the department due to some information which was discovered to have been falsified in her application. Nonetheless, officials from the municipality together with the department have been trying to do everything possible to ensure the regularisation of the application, so that it can be approved.”

Zulu added that it becomes difficult when the elderly are subjected to abuse and neglect, and appeals to the community to help in identifying wrongdoers in this regard.

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