The prayers of elderly Ndenzeni Njwenene (81), from Maydern Farm in Mthatha, have been answered after waiting years to receive her RDP house from the Department of Human Settlements.
The joy was written on her face when she moved to her new three-roomed house, leaving her dilapidated mud and brick (which were made from a mixture of soil) house in Corhana locality.
According to her, she used to make the bricks and sell them for a living.
“I did not have money to build a decent house for myself, because I had no money and no-one is working in my house.
“We depend on my pension grant. The house that I was living in was just a shack, because during rainy days we used to be in trouble due to rain that was coming inside. It was always wet and we do not know how we managed to survive.
“I am very happy today because my dream has come true; I was hopeless, and I thought I would die, leaving my children living in that dilapidated room. I thank all those who managed to stand up and tried by all means to assist me. I still do not believe that I am now living in a decent room like other people,” she said.
She confirmed that even though she was given a house number after she applied for a house, she never got it.
Community Liaison Officer (CLO) from Stedone Development (this is the company that is building RDP houses in that area), Zameka Boyce, said that according to her knowledge the house of Njwenene was delayed even though it was approved, but she was going to benefit from the double-storey houses that are still going to be built in that area.
“Her house appears in the RDP houses that will be built soon, but due to her situation we were forced to change plans and act swiftly due to her age, that is why now she has been given this house. We are done with it; it is only touch-ups that are needed, and we will finalise them quickly,” said Boyce.
