Enduring cold winters and rain will be a thing of the past for the 82 year old Evelyn Tabata from Kwazakhele who received her new house from the Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Thembinkosi Mafana on Monday, 7 April 2025.
The house forms part of the housing development in Ngwendu Street called Masakhane 125 situated in adjacent to M17 road.
In total MMC Mafana handed over 12 houses to beneficiaries that included elderly woman who have stayed in different shack areas for more than 10 years.
The 12 houses handed over today form part of the planned development of a total of 125 units with 94 beneficiaries that have been approved so far.
The construction of the 12 houses who were done by two women owned contractors started in January 2025 and completed in March 2025 as planned.
This project has been staggered into phases. Phase 1 has already seen the project delivering 40 houses at a cost of R8 600 000. The houses were handed over to beneficiaries last year. Housing beneficiary Tabata could not hold her emotions when she opened her house for the first time.
“I have been living in different shack areas for years. Even my husband’s funeral program had to be done in a shack. All what I was praying for was when I die that my body to be taken to the cemetery from my own house. This is indeed a day of answered prayers,” said Tabata.
Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements Cllr Thembinkosi Mafana said the Municipality was taking the issue of housing for the elderly serious. “As we deliver houses we continue to give our work a face and a heart. It cannot be justified that elderly people die live many years in shacks up until their last golden years. Miss Tabata is one in many elderly, child headed and physically challenged persons and families that will be prioritised as we continue to deliver houses,” said MMC Mafana.
MMC Mafana said his Directorate is busy with a number or programmes like the registration of backyard dwellers and soon to start registration of asbestos roof houses. “In all these projects we seek to balance the imbalances of the past and reverse the damage made by the past, “ said MMC Mafana.
