Gogo’s house on the verge of collapse
The 85-year-old desperately needs help rebuild her home.
A FRAIL 85-year-old Georgedale woman has been forced to move in and out of peoples’ houses as her home is on the verge of collapsing.
With water seeping through walls and floors, mud tumbling down and cracked walls Shonapi Mkize had no choice but to leave the house she had been living in for the past 44 years.
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Mkize is one of the many residents in the Georgedale area, a poverty stricken community near Hammarsdale, who fear for their lives as most houses are built with mud.
Her daughter, Bongisile said they had just recently moved out with her mother and stay in the neighbouring houses.
“The cracks were just getting worse by the day with one side of the house already down. We feared for our safety. What’s worse is that my mother is old and her health has deteriorated, what will happen if the house collapse?”
Bongisile said she can not afford to rebuild their house. “It just the two us left, my four other siblings passed away,” she said.
“The house started getting damaged in 2019 since then the cracks are getting worse and scarier, we hardly slept when it rained,” she said.
Ward 5 councillor, Sbusiso Ngcongo said he was aware of the Mkize situation and had approached eThekwini Human Settlements Unit.
“The housing department is also aware and is working on the matter but unfortunately the process is going slowly and we appeal to people or companies to assist gogo,”
Ngcongo said Mkhize’s house was not the only one falling apart but added that hers was an emergency.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
