Almost a decade of water intrusion
The water started flooding her home between 2010 and 2011
Miss Pretty Magane is tired of blocking water getting into her house mostly during rainy season.
She lives in Phola in the Bufferzone area with her three children.
Miss Magane moved into the house in 2009 after her relative, Mr Motau, passed away in 2005.
The water started flooding her home between 2010 and 2011.
She does not sleep every time it rains because she has to find ways to stop the water from coming into the house.
She is not comfortable living in such conditions with her children.
She said that one of her children sleeps on the floor. On some days, she wakes up with her blankets wet and there is nothing she can do.
According to Miss Magane, after she had moved in, the municipality came to channel water from her street into the stream that flows close to her house.
“Some time after they had channelled the water, water started coming into my home and flooded and it becomes worse during rainy season,” she said.
The constant flooding has ruined some of Miss Magane’s furniture.
She does not know how she will buy new furniture because she does not work.
“I do not have money. We live off my children’s grant money from the government and it is only enough for our daily needs.”
She claimed that she has reported the matter to Cllr Sonto Mofokeng and nothing has been done to help her.
Cllr Mofokeng claimed that Miss Magane is not truthful about the matter.
She said that Miss Magane does not own the house she lives in therefore the municipality cannot help her.
She further claimed that the house belongs to Mr Mokoena who passed away a long time ago.
“After Mr Mokoena’s death, the tenants he had, looked for another tenant to look after the house which happens to be Miss Magane.”
She further added: “If Miss Magane can provide a death certificate to prove that Mr Mokoena was her relative and that he left the house to her. We can only help her that way.”
