Saps gifts 21-year-old and sibling with a fully furnished house

In a heartwarming event that took place on Monday, the Minister of Police, General Bheki Cele, and the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (Saps), General Fannie Masemola, handed over a newly built, fully furnished two-bedroom home to a sibling-headed household in Delft, a township on the outskirts of Cape Town.

Dubbed Saps Housing Initiative, this is an ongoing project and is part of the organisation’s various corporate social initiatives aimed at creating a safer and more secure environment for all.

Sibling-headed household

Through their commitment and collaboration, the Saps and its partners are making a real difference in the lives of families affected by crime.

This year, the Vokwana siblings were the recipients of this generous donation.

Sisanda Vokwana, the 21-year-old sister has been caring for her younger 17-year-old brother since she was 15 when their mother and older sister passed away a few years ago.

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Being orphaned led the young woman and her younger brother to rely on social grants for survival.

Delft, known for its high volumes of gang-related crime, particularly affecting young people, was a fitting location for this initiative.

According to the Saps, the law collaboration with various sponsors and stakeholders including Old Mutual, Metropolitan, Assupol, Gift of the Givers, Homechoice, Blue Label Telecoms, Community Policing Forum, as well as Saps Western Cape’s Women’s Network and Men for Change, worked hard to make this housing project a reality.

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Previous projects

However, this is not the first time the Saps has taken on such a noble endeavor.

The Vokwana family is the sixth household in South Africa to receive a home through this legacy project.

In 2023 the organisation gave a house to a family in GaMolepo village, Mankweng, Limpopo.

“The family’s lives were forever changed when the mother of four was left paralysed after her partner shot her multiple times. Thanks to the Saps and its partners, the family was able to rebuild their lives,” reads the police statement.

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Gratitude and future endeavors

General Masemola, while outlining the purpose of the event, emphasised that the donation of homes to identified families forms part of the Saps’ National Excellence Awards legacy project.

“This social responsibility program, spearheaded by the Human Resources Personnel Management Division, aims to make a lasting impact on the lives of victims of crime,” said Masemola.

During his keynote address, Cele commended the partnership between the Saps, sponsors, and stakeholders, which has allowed another family to benefit from this annual project.

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“I want to thank each and every one who formed part of this success because together we can do more,” said the minister.

“Today, the Vokwana orphans will now have a decent roof over their heads. We hope to do more as the police, along with our social partners, to continue changing the lives of victims of crime and those who are destitute,” he said.