ZAMIQHINGA Magabane was overjoyed when he received the keys to his first government-built house at the age of 81, after living in a dilapidated family mud structure for years.
Magabane is one of the beneficiaries of 200 houses constructed by the Department of Human Settlements in the Buffalo City Metro Municipality.
Of these 200 houses in the surrounding villages, 60 are in Kwalini and 140 in Tsholomnqa.
The department stated that the 140 destitute families in Tsholomnqa benefited from the Ngqinisa Destitute Project, an intervention by Human Settlements after the area was declared an anti-poverty site. Speaking at the handover in Kwalini village on 9 December, Magabane expressed his gratitude to the provincial government for their gesture.
“My heart is happy, and my soul is at peace. This is a great move by the government. My life will change greatly, and God has truly come through. My children will get to see their home. I have buried four family members in that dilapidated house. It was really bad, especially during rainy days,” he said.
Magabane received an enhanced house that is more suitable for his condition. He is wheelchair-bound and lives with his unemployed 28-year-old grandson. Human Settlements MEC, Siphokazi Lusithi, stated that this was part of the government’s initiative to build safer communities, one household at a time.
“The primary beneficiaries are women, people living with disabilities, the elderly, and child-headed households. It is important that we do this as we approach the conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. These projects are a milestone, as the project in Tsholomnqa began in October 2023, and the expected completion date is March 2025. This is how we want to ensure we complete projects on time and budget,” she stated.
