BARBERTON – Beneficiaries of the RDP houses that were left incomplete said they were running out of patience, since there had still been no indication that their houses would be completed.
“We can’t take it any longer. We need shelter. When we voted for the ruling party it promised us a better life as it said “together we can do more”, but I want to know together with who? Our houses are still incomplete, bona balala butfongo behle, kodvwa tsine uma imvula ina, sikhelela manti busuku bonke. How long are we going to suffer like this, we only need shelter.
“We don’t want to fight them, they just need to keep their promises,” said one of the beneficiaries.
She added the community felt as if they were being used as a stepping stone for politicians. “Now all the political parties are encouraging people to vote for them, promising this and that, once they get what they want, they don’t remember us. This time around, I’m not going to vote because all of them are just power hungry. They are taking advantage of the needy people. Only when our houses are completed, will I vote.”
This all started last year when contractors who were awarded tenders to build RDP houses, failed to meet the deadline set by the premier, Mr David Mabuza which was March 13, 2013. After Mabuza raised concern regarding the slow progress, he was quoted saying, “Come rain or shine, whether it is at night or day, or whether you are an emerging or successful contractor, I want those houses and you should be off the sites by March 15.”
Some of the people called upon him to come personally to interact with them, as they believed then only would he understand what they meant when they said they didn’t sleep at night.
Another resident, Mr Vusimuzi Dlamini said, “The premier must visit us in Barberton. Ever since he took over as our premier, he has not visited us. We know that this province is big, but we appeal to him just to come and see us. To us, he is our father, therefore, a father needs to check on his children. Bomama bethu abanazo izindawo ezikhahle zekufihla inhloko, uma angeza nginalo lithemba lekuthi angavela nelicebo lokwendza ukuthi nathi sihlumule kuma RDP, lokwenteka lana sekudzinga Mabuza matfupha angaloku atfumela bantfu. He added they used to see Mabuza on television donating houses in other places. “Even now all political parties are busy with their campaigns, visiting people. Sitoze sivote DD angakaze alibeke linyawo lakhe kulendzawo.”
