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Home sweet home for Ekurhuleni elders - Newsroom - 25-05-2015
Over 33 elderly persons, who are now proud home owners, have moved into their new homes in Eden Park, Ekurhuleni.
Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements, Jacob Mamabolo, has welcomed the progress made in making sure that 33 of the 39 elderly beneficiaries are moved into their homes.
This comes after the beneficiaries were not able to move into their houses on Saturday following a protest by a group of people, mostly the youth, which disrupted the allocation process. Protestors blockaded the roads with rocks and burning tyres.
The 39 elderly beneficiaries were prioritised because of their age.
“The range of beneficiaries in the group starts from 62-years-old and the eldest beneficiary is 82-years-old. I could not understand why people will protest against allocation of houses to such elderly people,†MEC Mamabolo said.
By Thursday afternoon, 33 of the 39 beneficiaries had been moved to their new homes.
MEC Mamabolo said the allocation of houses to vulnerable members of society like the elderly, the disabled and child headed household was a responsibility government was taking seriously and which symbolises how society must care about such vulnerable groups in the province.
“As the cold weather starts to settle in, we are glad that these grandparents will be in the comfort and safety of their homes,†the MEC said.
The elderly beneficiaries were part of the people whose houses were illegally invaded in Eden Park back in 2008. MEC Mamabolo said government is not going to allow that to happen again.
Member of Mayoral Committee for Human Settlement in Ekurhuleni, Cllr Aubrey Nxumalo, said the municipality was happy that the beneficiaries moved into their homes and it showed that peace will always prevail over anarchy.
Nxumalo said the municipality’s doors are open for consultation whenever the community wanted to talk. “I am also happy to hear from one of the beneficiaries that some of the protestors came to apologise as that will enable them to live together in unity,†said Nxumalo.
One of the beneficiaries Nontobeko Mpiti, 67, thanked government for the house after spending years living in informal settlements in a rented shack.
“My life has changed for the better. This is my house. I am a home owner now,†said Mpiti, who also said that she was going to share the house with her three grandchildren and daughter.
Commenting on the protest, Mpiti said: “I thought it was a curse, because the first house I was allocated to was invadedâ€.
Mpiti’s neighbour, 73-year-old Sophie Ntoane said she would use the R350 she used to pay for rent to improve her life.
“I am very happy my child and grandchild have a home now,†she said.
Ntoane said she was scared on Saturday when young people were protesting but was happy since some of them came to apologise.
Nxumalo also thanked the police and Ekurhuleni Metro Police who continued to monitor the area as the elderly moved in. – SAnews.gov.za