A 20m² room is usually considered a sizeable bedroom in a normal urban home but for the Moni family of 14, a mud structure of the same size was the only home they knew.
On Monday their fortunes turned for the better when they were handed the keys to their new solid structure home – built using alternative technology.
The event, at Buthulo Village outside Port St Johns, was attended by human settlements, water & sanitation minister Lindiwe Sisulu who was accompanied by her deputy, Pam Tshwete and Eastern Cape MEC for human settlements Nonkqubela Pieters.
The village was among those affected by the floods that left a trail of destruction, when over 200mm rainfall was recorded in April this year.
The keys to the house were handed to widowed Macacisile Moni, 61, who could not contain her joy at owning her first solid home.
“I have never been to heaven but today it feels like I’m in heaven. This is the happiest day of my life,” said Moni, wiping tears from her face.
“When it rains I would ask my children to go seek shelter at the neighbours’ homes as I feared that this house would collapse on us. I would say to them, ‘it would be better if I’m the only one who dies inside this house’,” she said.
She shares her house with her brother, eight children and four grandchildren.
Their other dwelling, a mud rondavel, was washed away by heavy rains.
The house was donated by Eastern Cape-born businessman Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi, whose company Chippa Holdings built it using green crete technology – which uses recycled waste, binding chemicals and other environmentally friendly materials.
The house came fully furnished and with groceries also donated by Mpengesi.
Sisulu thanked Mpengesi and said using alternative building technology was crucial for the government’s house building programme.
Sisulu assured Moni that the title deeds for the house would be in her name and encouraged her to look after her new home.
The mud structure – with its walls cracked and a collapsing roof – stood in stark contrast to the spanking new house.
Mpengesi announced that Chippa Holdings would donate 90 houses to the poor all over the country.
“We will build 10 homes per province. This is my way of giving back as I know hardship having lived in a shack in Cape Town while working as a security guard,” said Mpengesi.
The Chippa United owner, who fired the head coach Clinton Larsen on Monday, also donated soccer kits to a local team.
“I hope that this kit will result in a player from this village joining Chippa United. Maybe we’ll even get a coach from here,” he said – drawing laughter from the crowd. – DDC
New eco-friendly house for family of 14 left homeless by flood
Image: SUPPLIED
A 20m² room is usually considered a sizeable bedroom in a normal urban home but for the Moni family of 14, a mud structure of the same size was the only home they knew.
On Monday their fortunes turned for the better when they were handed the keys to their new solid structure home – built using alternative technology.
The event, at Buthulo Village outside Port St Johns, was attended by human settlements, water & sanitation minister Lindiwe Sisulu who was accompanied by her deputy, Pam Tshwete and Eastern Cape MEC for human settlements Nonkqubela Pieters.
The village was among those affected by the floods that left a trail of destruction, when over 200mm rainfall was recorded in April this year.
The keys to the house were handed to widowed Macacisile Moni, 61, who could not contain her joy at owning her first solid home.
“I have never been to heaven but today it feels like I’m in heaven. This is the happiest day of my life,” said Moni, wiping tears from her face.
“When it rains I would ask my children to go seek shelter at the neighbours’ homes as I feared that this house would collapse on us. I would say to them, ‘it would be better if I’m the only one who dies inside this house’,” she said.
She shares her house with her brother, eight children and four grandchildren.
Their other dwelling, a mud rondavel, was washed away by heavy rains.
The house was donated by Eastern Cape-born businessman Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi, whose company Chippa Holdings built it using green crete technology – which uses recycled waste, binding chemicals and other environmentally friendly materials.
The house came fully furnished and with groceries also donated by Mpengesi.
Sisulu thanked Mpengesi and said using alternative building technology was crucial for the government’s house building programme.
Sisulu assured Moni that the title deeds for the house would be in her name and encouraged her to look after her new home.
The mud structure – with its walls cracked and a collapsing roof – stood in stark contrast to the spanking new house.
Mpengesi announced that Chippa Holdings would donate 90 houses to the poor all over the country.
“We will build 10 homes per province. This is my way of giving back as I know hardship having lived in a shack in Cape Town while working as a security guard,” said Mpengesi.
The Chippa United owner, who fired the head coach Clinton Larsen on Monday, also donated soccer kits to a local team.
“I hope that this kit will result in a player from this village joining Chippa United. Maybe we’ll even get a coach from here,” he said – drawing laughter from the crowd. – DDC
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