The Mbhalati family will by Heritage Day have a home following sleeping in horrible conditions since their house burned down in 2019.
The family of nine which stays in Thapane was hit by disaster when their home was burned down leaving the family stranded and unable to rebuild, resulting in the entire family having to sleep in one room which was not well roofed or have any windows.
Their plight reached the municipality when a social media post that did rounds showed the horrible condition in which the children were sleeping. In the same year, the breadwinner of the family was murdered when she was attacked during a robbery and burned with acid.
She left behind children and in total there are nine people in the household. Tzaneen mayor, Maripe Mangena speaking to the Herald said they were touched by the situation and decided to interact with different people in a bid to come up with a public-private partnership, and the Salvation Cathedral Church in Tzaneen agreed to assist in the building of the house for the family.
Mangena said they anticipate that the house would be built and complete so by heritage day the Mbhalati family could be now sleeping in a secure house that they will hand over.
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Pastor Tshepo Ramoshaba said they saw the posts regarding the family being in dire need and they were touched as they have a branch in Fobeni and part of our work and ministry is to help where we can and the church board agreed that we should assist by building a house for them and restore their dignity.
Speaking to the Herald Modjadji Mbhalat aged 69 said they were living in dire straits since 2019 when their house burnt down and her daughter being murdered in the same year left them helpless and vulnerable.
“It has been very difficult. We survived through the help of God, I could not mourn because I had to step up and raise these children and I was in a lot of pain.”
“As bad as the situation was, we all cramped in the one tiny house which was leaking during the rainy season with little blankets to cover up. I have been trying to repair with the little I have.”
“I am glad that there will be a new house built to restore our dignity and a complete roof over the heads of these children and sleeping in a bare house with a bad roof and no windows,” said Mbhalati.
