DZUMERI – As part of the pre-1994 election promises of the ANC, a pensioner of Dzumeri, Mrs Nyanisi Manganyi, received a brand new RDP house from the MEC for Local Government and Housing, Mr Joe Maswanganyi, during a function at Dzumeri last Thursday.

Mrs Manganyi, who spent the last three years staying in an old, muddy, one-roomed hut, was over the moon, when the MEC handed over the key of her new house. Manganyi stays with her two grand children.

"I was dreaming about a new house, but I depend on the pension grant that I receive monthly," she said.

Mr Maswanganyi expressed his thanks to the stakeholders, such as church denominations and schools, as they accommodated several people during the disaster period when floods struck the area. "This government is not committed to building houses in the townships, but in the historically disadvantaged communities in the rural areas."

The developer, Mr David Mabilu, said that he was given nine months to complete 500 houses and he finished within six months. The houses were built in Ndhambi (176), Kheyi (100), Mbhedle (90), Basani (60) and Mzilela (72). Mabilu said that his company will continue to build houses and he was given another contract by the Thulamela Municipality.

The mayor of the Giyani Municipality, Rev Solomon Nditane, thanked the developer for a job well done and the fact that he had completed his job a few months early. He said that the municipality appreciated what the department of local government and did for the poor people.