Seventy-eight-year-old Nolungile Nongqayi was barely able to contain her excitement on receiving the keys to her brand new four-roomed house.
Nongqayi, from Mqekezweni village, is one of the first beneficiaries of the Mandela 400 Housing Project within the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality.
The department of human settlements’ project entails the construction of 400 houses for destitute families, from Nelson Mandela’s home villages as part of honouring the late Nelson Mandela’s centenary year.
On Tuesday MEC Mlungisi Mvoko handed over the house keys to Nongqayi, who said she would never have been able to afford to buy or build herself a new house.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch at the handover, she promised to look after the house so that she may leave it to her great-grandchildren.
“All I can keep saying is thank you to everyone who was involved in doing such a beautiful thing for me. I am old now and can never work. I am also raising my 13-year-old granddaughter. Any money I have I use for her needs and to put food on the table. I have lived in this rondavel all my life and over time it has dilapidated. I have never felt happier,” said Nongqayi.
The MEC pressed the importance of looking after the houses and said he did not want to return and find the house has been turned into a spaza, tavern or even a church.
He said the 400 houses would be built around the Qunu, Mvezo and Mqekezweni areas and about 65 had already been completed.
Mvoko said he was also in Mqekezweni to officiate at a certification ceremony for 50 youths who completed a National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC) training programme in the built environment.
The youths will also get practical training for 18 months by working on the Mandela 400 Housing Project.
Mfihlelo Mhlupheki spoke on behalf of the youths and said they wanted to ask for a stipend during the 18 months.
“We will be working at the sites a full day from morning to afternoon,” said Mhlupheki.
Joyful gogo finally a homeowner
Image: Zipo-zenkosi Ncokazi
Seventy-eight-year-old Nolungile Nongqayi was barely able to contain her excitement on receiving the keys to her brand new four-roomed house.
Nongqayi, from Mqekezweni village, is one of the first beneficiaries of the Mandela 400 Housing Project within the King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality.
The department of human settlements’ project entails the construction of 400 houses for destitute families, from Nelson Mandela’s home villages as part of honouring the late Nelson Mandela’s centenary year.
On Tuesday MEC Mlungisi Mvoko handed over the house keys to Nongqayi, who said she would never have been able to afford to buy or build herself a new house.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch at the handover, she promised to look after the house so that she may leave it to her great-grandchildren.
“All I can keep saying is thank you to everyone who was involved in doing such a beautiful thing for me. I am old now and can never work. I am also raising my 13-year-old granddaughter. Any money I have I use for her needs and to put food on the table. I have lived in this rondavel all my life and over time it has dilapidated. I have never felt happier,” said Nongqayi.
The MEC pressed the importance of looking after the houses and said he did not want to return and find the house has been turned into a spaza, tavern or even a church.
He said the 400 houses would be built around the Qunu, Mvezo and Mqekezweni areas and about 65 had already been completed.
Mvoko said he was also in Mqekezweni to officiate at a certification ceremony for 50 youths who completed a National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC) training programme in the built environment.
The youths will also get practical training for 18 months by working on the Mandela 400 Housing Project.
Mfihlelo Mhlupheki spoke on behalf of the youths and said they wanted to ask for a stipend during the 18 months.
“We will be working at the sites a full day from morning to afternoon,” said Mhlupheki.
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