Here’s why not everyone is impressed with homes given to KZN flood victims by Shauwn Mkhize
Many have been left unimpressed by homes given to KwaZulu-Natal flood victims by media personality and businesswoman Shauwn “MaMkhize” Mkhize.
On Monday, Mkhize and the provincial government handed over the first four houses to flood victims who lost their homes and belongings in Wyebank.
Pictures shared online showed the homes are made of paving stones and bricks, usually used for driveways or exterior jobs, and come with a single bed and a shower.
Speaking at the opening of the homes, Mkhize called on other local business owners and women to help those affected by the floods.
“Although we can't satisfy everyone, we are trying our best to help where we can. We call on other businessmen and women to come forward to lend a helping hand. This was called a state of emergency for a reason,” she said.
Mkhize previously told City Press she would build 20 houses for some families left displaced and homeless by the devastating floods, and the labour would be done by prisoners.
“It’s not the first time I am doing this with the department. They have prisoners who doing labour courses, including building, carpentry, plumbing and electricity. We are going to use some of those people with supervision by qualified personnel.
“This is part of their internship. It is a winning model because, at the end of the project, they are going to be given certificates of completion of work,” she said.
eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda applauded the resilience of people, highlighting the suffering they have gone through in the past few years, including flooding, Covid-19 and the July 2021 unrest and looting.
“We are a municipality that has faced all these things. This shows how resilient we are as people of eThekwini. The municipality rose from the challenges,” he said.
On social media, many users were left unimpressed with the finishing of the homes, saying they “felt cold”.
They pointed out some pipes were exposed and the shower had no tiles or door.
Here is snapshot of some reactions:
I know people are poor but really people should give something they themselves would accept. This house is definitely a deep freezer, paving as flooring? Slabs with no insulation? Shower yona? Where's the decency in that kodwa yoh.💔 https://t.co/ZIKL0Hef7g
— THAMANA (@julius_thamana) June 20, 2022
It's honestly better than being homeless but yho guys being in need SUCKS! Living in poverty is hell https://t.co/zffgIC2eNA
— tse nyane. (@ittybitteee) June 20, 2022
Are you an indoors or an outdoors person?
— FrontPorch Lilly in June (@ngwanes0) June 20, 2022
Me: I like the outdoors inside. https://t.co/fXzMp0R2A9
These houses will not outlast normal rainy days! They look cold as help and ngathi they’ll leak where the stop nonsense slabs meet. Are these structures even stable nje
— uSis o right! (@SineNtombi_) June 20, 2022
I genuinely hear you guys saying she did it out of her pocket but surely when buying these material you could have seen that you are doing more bad than good? How’s you saying at least she did something unlike us make it better when U wouldn’t live in a house like this? https://t.co/sILZzEgMtf
— Madam CEO💸 (@Kgudie_) June 20, 2022
Maybe it's just me, but those walls look like precast concrete fencing? And the 'tiles' on the floor look like interlocking hexagonal concrete pavers? https://t.co/mJo2WwSytk
— Sethabile Makhathini (@AnotherZuluGirl) June 20, 2022
this is absolutely crazy. please look that floor. 😭 https://t.co/RHxndHDwWJ
— ✿ (@lelowhatsgood) June 20, 2022
Poverty takes one’s dignity,you accept anything you see.
— S A B E L O M Y E Z A (@sabelo_myez) June 20, 2022
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