WHEN the rickety rondavel that served as her home collapsed in a fierce windstorm last August, Mama Jabulisiwe Dladla was left in desperate circumstances as she contemplated rebuilding the ruins.
The flimsy Mandlazini structure also housed an electrical distribution box and on reporting the incident, the unemployed woman was informed she would have to pay R3 200 so the City of uMhlathuze could replace the meter.
In stepped the local Good Samaritans.
Someone in the church gave her the number for Vela Mkhwanazi, an ANC stalwart in the area.
‘I called Mr Mkhwanazi at about 7.40pm and within minutes he was at my house,’ said Mama Dladla.
‘He took my details and before he left, told me to relax as he was going to talk to ANC Regional Chairperson, Thulani Mashaba and Alex Mbatha, the indigent officer at uMhlathuze.
‘Mr Mkhwanazi also brought me the good news that someone was going to build a stronger structure for me and that I would no longer have to pay for an electricity dispenser meter as I had been declared indigent.’
An overjoyed Mama Dladla was beyond words when Godfrey Mfeka of Induna Logistics not only built her a solid brick home, but also supplied her with furniture.
‘I am so grateful to these wonderful people who stand up for the poor such as me.
‘My heartfelt thanks go to Mr Mfeka and to Mpume Msweli and Alex Mbatha of the City of uMhlathuze, but mostly Vela Mkhwanazi for reassuring me and getting together all those who assisted.’
