BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thuli Dladla today gave comfort to two elderly women whom she visited at Lushikishini Chiefdom under Phondo Constituency.
According to information from the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPMO), the two elderly women are Fikile Simangele Motsa (73) and Zodwa Margaret Motsa (72). Both of them are living in old dilapidated houses.
Fikile’s house is made out of woods and old clothes. The house has been collapsing to such an extent that she is forced to kneel when going in and out. When inside the house, she cannot stand up but kneels.
Fikile has been living in this condition for years after her house collapsed during a heavy storm. Her concern is that since she is old her knees are painful sometimes and have difficulty when she has to go in and out.
“My house collapsed and we built this one as a makeshift hoping that someday I will have money and build myself a house. That day never came and I have been living here for years. I would be very grateful to own a decent house,” she said joyfully.
Her sister Zodwa also lives in an old one room old stick and mud house, which is also a kitchen. She cooks and sleeps in the same one room. The Member of Parliament Mduduzi Dube together with the constituency team identified this family and notified the DPM.
Upon, her arrival, the DPM was shocked to see Fikile’s house and she couldn’t get inside since you have to kneel before entering. So far about 8 snakes were killed inside the house. Through private sponsor and NDMA, the DPM promised Fikile and Zodwa a house each and a toilet. They will also receive a water tank.
The DPM further provided food parcels for the two old sisters comprising of rice, beans and vegetable oil. “We have been commissioned by the Ingwenyama YeMaswati to work with constituencies in developing communities. It is disheartening to see how some old people are living under.
My office is all out to try and improve the lives of the vulnerable elderly people in the country,” she said. She further thanked the community for taking care of the elderly as well as the Inkhundla and Umphakatsi. Meanwhile Fikile will move in a tent provided by National Disaster Managment Agency (NDMA) during the construction of her house for her safety.
