MAKONDE – Going to bed on empty stomachs is a usual thing for the Nemukula family of Makonde-Vhutshavhelo, who are still living in desperate poverty, even after 11 years of democracy. The family of six shares a small fallout and dusty mud hut and their door is a tattered old blanket. The hut’s roof is covered with an old tent and chances are that everything can be carried away by strong winds or heavy rains.

Two of the elder boys have since dropped out of school and they look after the cattle to provide for the family. Their valuable possessions are a few old cooking pots, old tattered blankets and some water containers.

This is a tragic story of Mususumeli Nemukula (45) and her five children who have now given up on life because it holds nothing precious for them. Mususumeli poured out her cry to Mirror: “How can life be so cruel to us as we have no one to turn to for protection? We would like to enjoy life like other South Africans, but our dreams are completely shattered because of poverty…”

The eldest son in the family, Pfuluwani, and his younger brother, Nyaweleni, look after the cattle and their joint monthly income is R300, which cannot provide for the whole family. Their sister, Tuweleni, took marriage as the only option although she did not manage to further her education as her mother could not raise her school funds. Tamiseni (14) and Mushumo (10) are doing Grades Six and Three respectively, at Makonde Primary School and their school funds have not been paid. They don’t have school uniforms, warm clothes or shoes. Neither of them receives any child support grant because their mother only managed to get her bar-coded ID last month.

“I do not even have money for transport to register the kids for the child support grant. Life is so tough here that we can even go for up to three days without any food,” said Mususumeli, whose husband, William, died in 2003.

Mususumeli says she has applied for an RDP house from the village leadership for the past five years but her plea falls on deaf ears.

“There are some villagers who do not deserve to get the RDP houses but they have been allocated while my family is almost living in the open. How long will the poor suffer while poverty continues to destroy their dreams for a better life? We have learnt to accept life as a bitter struggle because there is nothing we can do. We thought life would change after we voted for the new government, but the poor get poorer as the rich get richer. What we need is food, clothing, blankets and a shelter so that we may enjoy life like other community members…”

She says her troubles started when her only reliable mud hut mysteriously caught fire a few years ago. Although no life was lost, the family lost all their possessions and their lives took a new turn. If there are visitors in the family, Mususumeli is forced to sleep in an adjacent fallout mud hut which she shares with her kids, three goats and nine chicken. Her kitchen is an open space in front of her duplicated mud hut.

She added that she fears for her kids’ life in times of rain and heavy winds. “We cannot even afford to buy an ordinary door and it is not safe to sleep in this mud hut. It is just like sleeping outside because we have nothing to protect ourselves from unfavourable weather. We sleep in a pool of water if it rains because the hut leaks heavily…”

The Chairperson of Makonde Civic Association, Mr. Fhatuwani Manyatshe, promised to investigate further and find out how best the family can be assisted. He said after the outbreak of the fire that destroyed Mususumeli’s hut, his structure and the Thulamela Municipality made the tent that covers the family’s thatched roof available.

Community members who would like to assist the struggling family can visit them at Makonde – Vhutshavhelo, using the public road to Haluvhimbi, on the eastern side of Makonde Primary School, or alternatively call 072 351 0164.