Housing continues to be one of major challenges or problems in rural areas, where even some elderly still live in shaky mud shelters while they witness RDP houses being built for their neighbours.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) had learnt about the painful living conditions of a 64-year-old blind lady, Vho-Florah Munyai, who has since left her mud roundavel. She stays with her unemployed son in his one room.

Munyai stays at Mamuhohi village in Nzhelele. “I have been applying for an RDP house ever since I can remember,” she said. “At one stage they said they couldn’t build me a house because I was living in a house with six rooms.” The six-room house, she said, is the shaky and beaten-up mud structures scattered in her yard. The EFF’s regional secretary, Mr Patrick Mashau, said that the EFF had come across the woman’s house when they were doing door-to-door visits in the area. He said her living conditions and displacement were causing her grievous pain.

“She told us that she has been living in such painful condition since 1989,”  said Mashau. “This granny has never enjoyed the fruits of freedom and democracy. The old age grant she gets goes to food and medication and nothing is left.” 

He added said that the EFF was going to take the responsibility of building a proper house for Munyai. “Our branch leadership is busy with preparations for quotations of all materials needed for the project,” he said. “We are not yet the government, but we will not fold our arms and pretend that we are not affected by the government’s negligence regarding service delivery.”

The EFF said that they were also building a house for another indigent resident of Shayandima, Mr Mbulaheni Mudau. “We will continue to assist community members who are neglected by the government,” he said.

Ward 32’s Cllr Rachel Malange was not available for comment.