Geluksdal community steps in to help widow
Geluksdal community steps in to give their neighbor a safer shelter.
Tsakane – The community of Geluksdal Extension Three have built a better home for Sphiwe Malandula and her son to lay their heads every night.
Malandula says her troubles began after her husband died in 2002.
“I was unemployed and I don’t have an ID so the shack we lived in was sold.”
She says she has been moving around, living with family and friend since then.
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At the beginning of this year, when she found herself out on the street, Malandula moved into an abandoned building on a plot in Geluksdal.
Edward Makhetha and his team were doing voter registration campaigns when they found the family in the dilapidated building.
“We approached our councillor Desmond Buitenbacht of Ward 83 to intervene.
“The situation we found them in was no way for any human to live.”
“The home had no running water or sanitation causing Malandula to walk for more than a kilometre to fetch water.
“There is a stream at the back where they wash their clothes.
“But that has recently been contaminated by leaks of sewage pipes,” he adds.
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With the assistance of the Metro’s Disaster Management Department, the group were able to gather resources to build a more stable house.
Fortunate Mazibuko, a neighbour and member of the team, says they decided to move the home closer to the road.
“The location they were on before was at a steep.
“This causes the water to puddle in the house when it rains.”
Zodwa Mahlangu says they are also concerned with Malandula’s son who walks to school in KwaThema every day.
“The boy has to cross the stream to get to school and it is not safe, especially when it rains.”
On the same plot, Malandula’s neighbors, the Mofokengs are living under the same inhumane circumstances.
The family of seven survives of social grants.
Anyone that can assist the families can contact Fortunate Mazibuko on 078 263 8722.
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