New home, new hope for devout pensioner

AMTHATHA pensioner struggled to hold back her tears of joy yesterday as she accepted the keys to her new house.

Rachel Tinzi, 66, had lived in a rundown mud structure in Bhongweni Township for many years.

But the devout Methodist Church of Southern Africa member’s luck changed yesterday when she was presented with a modern-day, tworoomed house by the church.

“I am so happy I don’t even know how to say thank you,” Tinzi said yesterday. “I feel like a normal human being again.”

Her touching words were echoed by her only child, 35-year-old Nomamfengu, who said she had never seen her mother so happy. It had been her mother’s long-held dream to live in a proper house, she added.

“I am unemployed and cannot even look for a job because I have to take care of my mother, who is not well,” she said. Nomamfengu attributed her mother’s ill-health to the state of the house she had lived in.

“She always complains of chest pains and I think it has something to do with how when it rains the whole house is flooded with water,” she said.

The new house was built by a women’s support group in the church called the John Wesley Women’s Manyano, of which Tinzi is a member.

Members visited Tinzi’s home and saw first-hand the conditions she was living in.

Saddened by her plight, the women rallied together and raised funds which were used to build and furnish her new house.

Women’s Manyano chairwoman Miriam Qotoyi said she had urged fellow members to pay a surprise visit to the pensioner’s home.

“ doesn’t talk a lot but I sensed that there was something deep inside bothering her.

“We came and prayed at her house. But she eventually confided in me what the problem was.

“It was then that we decided to pool together and build her a house.”

Over R73 000 was spent on building materials and furniture for the new home, which was completed last month.

Qotoyi said the women had decided to keep their plans a secret.

The church’s Mthatha Circuit Superintendent, Andile Mbete, who officiated at the handing over of the house yesterday, lavished praised on Women’s Manyano members for opening their hearts and building Tinzi the house.

“They took faith and turned it into action. We preach Ubuntu in church all the time,” he said.

Mbete said the gesture also signalled what people could do to help the state.

“If a small group of women can build a house like this, how much more could be done if churches and everyone else decided to come together to assist our government,” he added.