NOMZWAKHE Hlobo,73, has been crying out for a proper home for the past six years.
Hlobo, who is physically challenged, has been living in a dilapidated house in Mdantsane’s Unit P since 2012. Hlobo moved into the house six years ago from a rented home in Mdantsane’s NU3.
Hlobo became wheelchair-bound three years ago after a car knocked her into a pile of building bricks. The bricks crushed her legs and she lost function in both limbs.
“Before moving into Mdantsane, I used to live in Duncan Village with my stepfather, but I had to move due to unforeseen family politics,” Hlobo said. She said a number of municipal officials had been visiting her, and who had promised to change her living conditions, but those promise have gone in vain.
“Throughout the years, ward councillors and other prominent officials have been promising that there will be change, but nothing has happened, they are just keeping my hopes up for nothing,” she said.
Hlobo said when she arrived in her present house, it was flooded by water from underground pipes.
To this day, her home is still flooded and the water has damaged the furniture and doors.
“When someone flushes it, it overflows and everything floats on the floors. I cannot use the toilet, especially when I am alone, because I cannot close it for privacy.
“The pipes have shut off, because they are affecting my neighbours’ yards, so now I do not have any access to water unless I turn on the pipes again. There are days where it is raining and I am outside. I will have to wait for someone who is passing by to push me in, but most of the times my son is there to help, and his friends.”
The broken windows in Hlobo’s home are covered by cardboard to prevent the wind and rain from entering.
“It is difficult to live in these conditions, especially in winter, because we are surrounded by damp and wet walls inside,” she said.
