New homes bring dignity and joy to Sokhulumi residents

There were tears of joy and sighs of relief when state housing beneficiaries spoke about the end of harsh living conditions, saying they had lived in unstable mud houses and dreaded the sound of heavy rain and the bite of winter.

On Wednesday, three beneficiaries received keys to their newly built government houses in Sokhulumi, Bronkhorstspruit.

​Among the beneficiaries was Phindile Mahamba, a 41-year-old mother of two.

Mahamba said after waiting six years since she applied in 2020, she plans to immediately move into her new home.

​“I have been staying in a house that is not in good condition,” Mahamba said.

“I am so happy I am going to spend my first winter in a dignified house. Looking at this house fills me with joy.”

She said her new home has a ceiling and she will no longer hear the loud, disruptive noise of rain against the roof.

“I am going to buy a new bed to go with my new house,” she said.

Beneficiary David Nkosi applied for his house in 2019. He said the long wait almost broke his spirit.

​“There was a time when I lost hope, thinking the house would never be handed to me,” Nkosi said.

“It is difficult when you have three kids so this house will benefit me and my family,” he said.

​Nkosi spoke out against corruption, calling for accountability for those who illegally sell government houses and move back into informal settlements.

Alfred Moepya, a resident in his late 80s who struggles with his hearing, said the new house brings dignity for him.

Moepya, who received his keys with his guide dog Snoopie, said: “From today I will be a respectable man in the community. There will be no need for me to hide when I am coming back from the shopping malls with my groceries. I will enter my house fully dignified.”

​Moepya said he plans to invite church members to bless the home before moving in with his family.

“God is great. He is the one who blessed us to have a beautiful home today.”

Moepya’s move will be made easier after a good Samatarian, Manuel Mashiya, a community member who was present at the ceremony, promised to buy groceries for the Moepya family on Thursday.

​“It is very rare to find old people in our communities, and we should take care of them. They are our blessings,” Mashiya said.

“I want umkhulu [grandpa] to move in without having to worry about his next meal.”

​The handover is part of a broader collaboration between local and provincial government to reaffirm the Gauteng government’s commitment to providing suitable accommodation and accelerating land release through the Siyeza Nakuwe campaign.

City of Tshwane MMC for human settlement Aaron Maluleka said the city works with the provincial government to speed up allocations in areas such as Sokhulumi.

He spoke out against illegal land invasions and the growth of informal settlements, noting the city has identified 502 informal structures.

​“We will not allow additional informal settlements because they put a strain on our infrastructure,” Maluleka said, warning new illegal structures will be demolished.

He also urged private landowners to take legal action to protect their land from land grabs.

TimesLIVE