A 83-year-old granny from Mandala village, who had been living in a tent since early January, has finally received her dream house.

Ms Elelwani Ndou´s mud house was destroyed by floods in 2000 and even though she had applied for an RDP house several times, she never moved to the top of the list of people who were supposed to get houses.

She is now the proud owner of a four-bedroom house. It took the government nine years to successfully intervene and sort out the situation. The family believes that if it weren´t for Mirror´´s getting involved and providing publicity, nothing would have materialised and she would still be living in a tent.

Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale officially handed over Ms Ndou´s house the day before the local government election. Mathale addressed a huge crowd at the Mandala sports ground, together with the MEC for Housing, Soviet Lekganyane, Mayor Thivhulawi Makumbane and the local chief of Mandala, Vha-musanda vho Dzumbuluwani Tshivhase.

The premier said he was made aware of Ms Ndou´s situation by the media and that it touched him on a personal level. Mathale added that after seeing the story, he called in different businesspeople who then volunteered to build the house for Ms Ndou.

“A Good Samaritan, Mr Matume Hlabiwa, volunteered to build the house and only the best contractors in the province were hired. This is why it took only a few days to finish the house," said Mathale. He added that the media should keep on practising constructive journalism and gave credit to Limpopo Mirror for exposing the story in such a way that it touched the hearts of many.

He urged local chiefs and councillors to work together in order to deliver sufficient services to their communities.

Ms Ndou thanked Limpopo Mirror and the local Department of Housing for making it possible for her to live in a beautiful house. “I am so happy and will now sleep in peace, knowing that I am sleeping in a safe environment where criminals cannot touch me," said Ms Ndou.

The local chief of Mandala, Vha-musanda vho Dzumbuluwani Tshivhase, urged community members to work together in order to do more. He pleaded with the local political leaders to stop threatening the media when they try to expose situations such as Ms Ndou´s, because all the media want to do is to help.