Sibeko family living in dangerous conditions in Enyibe

The Sibeko’s are afraid they could face the same fate as a mother and child, who died when their mudhouse caved in, in December last year.

The Shongwe family lives in dangerous conditions as their house is on the verge of collapsing in Enyibe.

The Sibeko family from Enyibe are living in dangerous conditions.

Their house, made out of wooden poles and mud, can collapse at any time.

The household of four consists of Mr and Ms Sibeko and their two grandchildren. They live in fear that they would die inside the house if it collapses.

The family survives on Mr Shongwe’s pension grant, a measly R1 690.

Ms Jennetta Shongwe and her family live in dangerous conditions as her house is on the verge of collampse in Enyibe.

The situation was brought to the Highvelder’s attention by three boys from Lindile Secondary School, Zakhele Nzimande, Mduduzi Jele and Siphamandla Vilakazi, who are neighbours of the family.

The boys took it upon themselves to help the family in any way they can and they approached various government institutions and media channels.

The family has also done as much as it could to get assistance from the government, with no help coming forth.

Ms Sibeko is currently waiting for her identity book so she can also apply for the Sassa food programme and a social grant to add to the household’s income.

As reported in the newspaper on 15 December 2017, “Walls cave in during storm, killing mother and child in Enyibe”, a house caved in in Enyibe.

A mother and her child died in Enyibe during a storm on 9 December 2017.

According to the police, the walls of her mud house caved in.

At the time police urged residents, especially in Enyibe, to be careful in the rainy season and to ensure that the structures of their houses were secure.

The Sibeko family is afraid they could face the same fate.

The three boys are currently helping Mr Sibeko to gather wooden poles to bolster the structure of their house, a feat which must be done urgently as the rainy season approaches.

Mr Sibeko is living with a disability after he had injured a foot at his previous job, which left him jobless.

It is up to the boys to ensure the Sibeko’s house is stable enough to withstand the storms.

However, in an ideal world, the family would love to have a brick house to call their own.

“We are appealing to the government to help us before somebody is injured or worse, dies,” Ms Sibeko concluded.