Tsakane – Gogo Evelinah Mahamba (80) finally received her RDP house in Extension Eight on Saturday, after 22 years of waiting.
The ANC Caucus was shocked by the state of Gogo’s living conditions when it paid her a visit during the Taking Caucus to the People initiative last year.
The programme is about taking ANC councillors to the community they serve so that they can continually monitor the living conditions of the people and further engage with them while giving reports of service delivery in their areas.
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ANC chief whip of council Clr Jongizizwe Dlabathi says during the visit a commitment was made to assist the pensioner to build her new home.
“We are happy to be able to keep the commitment and build her a quality house and officially hand it over to her.
“We were saddened by Gogo’s living condition because there was a housing development in the area, yet she was overlooked. Right there and then we made a commitment to build her a house.
“An additional commitment was to provide the pensioner with furniture for her new house to make her life easier,” he adds.
The family was urged to protect the house. No one must sell it and it must be properly maintained.
Gogo Mahamba says she had lost hope of one day receiving a house from the government.
“I will now be in the comfort of my own house. I will not be scared that I will have to swim inside my house during rainy season,” she says.
Ward 112 Clr Annah Mnguni says Gogo has been staying in a shack for at least 22 years.
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“In this ward, we’ve prioritised more than 20 grannies who have benefited from the Extension 22 project. Gogo Mahamba’s challenge was that she had already received a subsidy and a stand where she was staying, but without a proper house,” she said.
However, the councillor noted that there are more grannies who still need to be allocated proper houses to her ward. A process has commenced between her and the Department of Human Settlements in ensure that those grannies who are yet to receive proper houses are assisted.
