A PORT Alfred pensioner’s dying wish to have his house completed in time for his funeral has caused a political storm after ANC members chipped in R60 000 to finish the 13-year project.
Lungelo Menti, 78, died in hospital almost two weeks ago from a lung infection after living for years in a damp shack behind his dream home while he waited for a subsidy to be approved by the provincial government.
Since his death, a war of words has erupted between the ANC and the DA over delays to get the subsidy as well as efforts by ANC members to finish the house in time for his funeral at the weekend.
The DA claims the family are members of their party and accuse the ANC of “politicking” by completing the house without the provincial government’s knowledge or approval.
But ANC leader Thobile Gqolodashe insisted he was helping an “old family friend” who had been a supporter of the ruling party for years.
Gqolodashe said: “I went to visit the family soon after the old man died to pay my respects and they said his dying wish was that his house be fixed in time for his funeral.”
Gqolodashe said word spread through the region about Menti’s dying wish and ANC members chipped in R60 000 to buy building materials.
Some ANC members volunteered their labour, while others supplied food throughout the day.
Gqolodashe said it was sad Menti had died as his name had been placed on an ANC list two months ago to help sort out the problem.
However, DA councillor Terri Stander insisted Menti had been a card-carrying DA member since 2011 and had asked her for help to get his government housing subsidy.
“For two years I wrote over 50 e-mails, made calls and secured the help of DA MPL Veliswa Mvenya to make government deliver on their promise.”
She said the “old man” considered her to be his “granddaughter”.
She accused the ANC of politicking after the Ndlambe Municipality sent out a media statement days after his death stating that work on his house was about to begin.
“People wearing political T-shirts were found posing for pictures,” she said.
She said the appointed contractor Wiseman Nofumba, and Department of Human Settlements representative Mafa Yami, did not have any knowledge of ANC efforts to finish the house.
Stander said the house was deemed unsafe two years ago by a structural engineer.
She questioned whether the volunteers were suitably qualified to do the work.
“I could also have put on a T-shirt and built the house but the structure was compromised.”
Stander accused Gqolodashe of trying to turn the funeral into “a vote-canvassing event by the ANC” and claimed the ruling party had “disrespected a humble man”.
“It is heartbreaking, not because they claim they have always been ANC, but because they have been made to feel they must benefit from the ANC.”
Gqolodashe said all the work on the house was being done based on municipal-approved plans.
While the politicians argued, Menti’s widow, Nomhatase, 65, insisted they had always been loyal ANC supporters.
She said she appreciated Stander’s efforts to help the family and urged her not to scuttle their dream with claims the house was not structurally sound.
“She came to help and we appreciate it, but this does not mean we are DA members.”
Several attempts to get Ndlambe Municipality to comment proved fruitless.
DA, ANC fight over dead man’s house
Lungelo Menti, 78, died in hospital almost two weeks ago from a lung infection after living for years in a damp shack behind his dream home while he waited for a subsidy to be approved by the provincial government.
Since his death, a war of words has erupted between the ANC and the DA over delays to get the subsidy as well as efforts by ANC members to finish the house in time for his funeral at the weekend.
The DA claims the family are members of their party and accuse the ANC of “politicking” by completing the house without the provincial government’s knowledge or approval.
But ANC leader Thobile Gqolodashe insisted he was helping an “old family friend” who had been a supporter of the ruling party for years.
Gqolodashe said: “I went to visit the family soon after the old man died to pay my respects and they said his dying wish was that his house be fixed in time for his funeral.”
Gqolodashe said word spread through the region about Menti’s dying wish and ANC members chipped in R60 000 to buy building materials.
Some ANC members volunteered their labour, while others supplied food throughout the day.
Gqolodashe said it was sad Menti had died as his name had been placed on an ANC list two months ago to help sort out the problem.
However, DA councillor Terri Stander insisted Menti had been a card-carrying DA member since 2011 and had asked her for help to get his government housing subsidy.
“For two years I wrote over 50 e-mails, made calls and secured the help of DA MPL Veliswa Mvenya to make government deliver on their promise.”
She said the “old man” considered her to be his “granddaughter”.
She accused the ANC of politicking after the Ndlambe Municipality sent out a media statement days after his death stating that work on his house was about to begin.
“People wearing political T-shirts were found posing for pictures,” she said.
She said the appointed contractor Wiseman Nofumba, and Department of Human Settlements representative Mafa Yami, did not have any knowledge of ANC efforts to finish the house.
Stander said the house was deemed unsafe two years ago by a structural engineer.
She questioned whether the volunteers were suitably qualified to do the work.
“I could also have put on a T-shirt and built the house but the structure was compromised.”
Stander accused Gqolodashe of trying to turn the funeral into “a vote-canvassing event by the ANC” and claimed the ruling party had “disrespected a humble man”.
“It is heartbreaking, not because they claim they have always been ANC, but because they have been made to feel they must benefit from the ANC.”
Gqolodashe said all the work on the house was being done based on municipal-approved plans.
While the politicians argued, Menti’s widow, Nomhatase, 65, insisted they had always been loyal ANC supporters.
She said she appreciated Stander’s efforts to help the family and urged her not to scuttle their dream with claims the house was not structurally sound.
“She came to help and we appreciate it, but this does not mean we are DA members.”
Several attempts to get Ndlambe Municipality to comment proved fruitless.
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