Slowly coming out of her rondavel using her walking stick while her other hand made shade for her eyes, centenarian Nodabephi Nosection Tata finally received a newly built and furnished RDP house on Wednesday.
She has called the rondavel home for 90 years. On Wednesday she walked to cheers and songs as people came to witness her finally move into her fully furnished house.
The old woman said: “Ukubhadla yiyo lento ibangela ndiphile iminyaka emide [I cherish my wellbeing, that is the reason I have lived so long]”.
Telling her story, Tata said she had lived in the rondavel with no toilet and had to walk more than 2km to get water.
“I eat samp and beans and other healthy food.
“Growing up we were not allowed to eat eggs and other unhealthy food as they were not good for us.
“Obeying those instructions is what made me who I am today,” she said.
Tata received her fully furnished house with a rainwater tank from premier Phumulo Masualle.
The person who asked for help for Tata, Patrick Bathemubu, said after noticing the conditions Tata was living in he decided to approach Chris Hani District mayor Kholiwe Vimbayo for assistance.
“I could not find the mayor and only met with municipal officials. I decided to contact the presidential hotline and after receiving the reference number I waited,” he said.
Bathembu said what moved him was seeing the then 98-year-old Tata going to the forest to relieve herself.
“All I wanted was to get a house for her and a proper toilet. Her house was leaking and windows were broken.
“There was a tap close to her home but there was no water coming out of it and that led to her walking long distances to get water,” he said.
Bathembu said Tata would be celebrating 101 years soon and the house was a great birthday present for her.
Masualle, who handed the house over to Tata, said after Bathembu approached the presidential hotline, they were notified of Tata’s condition.
“She was living in poor conditions, and she was not being looked after. Working with the human settlements MEC, Bonginkosi Madikizela, the house was built.
“The house is fully furnished and there is a tank next to the house. We urge the community of Boqo village to take care of this house and look after Tata.
“They must take care of her and not break into this house,” he said.
Masualle warned people against killing the elderly using the excuse of witchcraft.
“Tata is one of the lucky few people who reached 100 years and we must protect and respect her for that,” he said...