MAKONDE – A poverty-stricken man who lives alone in a small makeshift wooden structure at the foot of Makonde mountain will be able to smile again and have a decent shelter after intervention by the Thulamela Municipality.

Mmbofheni Mbedzi will be the proud owner of a decent three-roomed house soon! It came about after Mirror published his plight! The article has miraculously changed the sickly Mmbofheni’s life because he will enjoy the precious gift of life like anyone else.

Since his two mud huts fell during the 2000 floods, Mmbofheni has been staying alone in a tiny makeshift structure made of discarded wood, grass and old tattered plastic. When one enters Mmbofheni’s house, he is greeted by the dusty floor and holes both in the roof and around the small structure, which one can easily mistake for a pigsty. His valuable possessions are a few tattered clothes hanged on a wooden rod, empty pots, wooden spoons, a few empty containers and one old blanket. It is a usual thing for him to go to bed with an empty stomach because he does not have any means for survival.

Shortly after the publication of Mmbofheni’s story last month, Mirror received countless calls from sympathetic readers who were ready to assist. Many readers have already donated food, blankets, cash and clothes for the destitute, sickly man. Mirror has also donated food and blankets for the poverty-stricken man.

Mbofheni’s plight also touched officials of the Thulamela Municipality who visited him last week, to organize the erection of a decent three-roomed house for him. The spokesperson for the Thulamela Municipality, Nndwamato Tshiila, says he was shocked to learn that there are still people like Mmbofheni who are living far below the poverty line, even after 11 years of democracy. “This is poverty at its worst and we are going to do everything in our power to make sure that the man gets a decent shelter as a matter of urgency. It is our duty as a municipality to make sure that our people are provided with basic services like housing, water and electricity. It is also very painful to learn that Mmbofheni is unemployed, epileptic and not receiving any grant from the state …”

Tshiila said the municipality will assist Mmbofheni to in fill the required documentation so that he may receive a grant from the state. “We have already started negotiations with the Department of Health and social Development to make sure that Mmbofheni gets the necessary assistance as a matter of urgency.”

The happiest man on earth today, Mmbofheni ran short of words to thank the Thulamela Municipality and Mirror for changing his life. “Thanks a million times to the Thulamela Municipality for coming to my rescue. I will also be able to lay my head in a proper shelter safely and enjoy life like other members of the community. My deepest gratitude goes to Mirror for publishing my plight. Nobody knew about me until Mirror made my plight public. Mirror is the voice of the voiceless and the poor and I know the paper will continue with its good work of nation building …”