SIPHELELE NKETO
HORRIFIC nights for a rural resident of KwaNikhwe in Mbizana, Eastern Cape, have come to an end and he can sleep peacefully.
This was after Mthetheleli Yigwana’s lifelong dream of a safe shelter finally came into reality last week when he received a new temporary house from the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements in the Alfred Nzo District.
Praying for a proper shelter was his daily life as he lived in an unsafe shack for more than 10 years.
He described living in the shack as the most terrible experience he endured in his life. He said that he had to sleep with one eye open during windy and rainy days in fear of his life.
“The shack was shaking on windy days and during rains, I had to use buckets, but even that couldn’t help because the shack had leakages all over,” he stated.
His difficulty with shack life was shared on social media through a journalist. His plea resulted in the donation of a temporary house, furniture and food parcels. Mayor Tsileng Sobuthongo of the Alfred Nzo District Municipality promised to ensure that Yingwana receives a permanent structure.
She further called upon community members, neighbours and relatives to work together with the government to identify and support vulnerable individuals, emphasising that Yingwana may not be the only person in need within the Alfred Nzo district.
