Coastal KZN TVET College is in the process of building two houses for local impoverished families as part of its Mandela Day initiative.
The college has joined hands with the KZN Financial Literacy Association Trust, National Credit Regulator and Hopewell organisation to build the two establishments in iMfume and Mkhazini area.
“The KZNFLA Trust and Coastal KZN TVET College, together with their partners, have identified two families who are in a dire need of a shelter,” said Coastal KZN TVET College public relations and marketing officer, Thami Ngcobo. “These are the Ngcobo family from the Mkhazini area outside KwaMakhutha Township, and the Mthethwa family.”
Eight siblings of the Ngcobo family share a shack which was donated to them by the community. Their parents were separated just before the mother died. They never had a stable home and their mother moved from one place to another.
Their mother was renting a room when she died and her children had to move out because they could not afford to pay the rent, and so they become homeless.
When the community found out about their situation, they decided to donate land to the family and built a shack for them.
The young children are still at school at Habiyane Primary School, one is at Mkhumbi High School and the other matriculated last year. Due to financial issues, he couldn’t study further.
They survive with a grant.
Bongekile, the big sister, has to make sure her siblings have food to eat. Their home doesn’t have electricity, but they managed to access running water with the help of community members.
The Mthethwa family reside at iMfume next to Umgababa. The Mthethwas lost their parents 10 years ago. After the death of their parents, they struggled because nobody was working in the family at that time and none of them had received formal education.
To date, none of the family members have managed to secure permanent employment. They survive through a child grant and part-time jobs they get in the area. Because of their circumstances, they cannot afford to go to town to look for better opportunities.
