By Banele Magongo
MBABANE – The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPMO) has pledged to build three standard houses for families in need.
This was revealed by the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Hon Thulisile Dladla during her visits to Nkwene, Mtsambama, and Maphalaleni yesterday (April 25, 2024).
At Nkwene, she visited Mfanawendlela Douglas Khumalo (81), who has no shelter and lives alone. Both his houses collapsed and he is currently using his brother’s house. Through National Disaster Managment Agency (NDMA), he will get a decent house, kitchen, toilet and a water tank. Bricks are already on site.
A Bhembe household, also at Nkwene, where the sisters share an old stick and mud house with their disabled brother, was visited. Their mother passed on in 2015 leaving, them on their own after the death of their father earlier. This family will also get a decent two-room house and a toilet.
At Mtsambama, the DPM visited two elderly and disabled men Elias Nkambule and Sipho Ngisi Dlamini. Nkambule lives alone and his neighbours take care of him. Dlamini, on the other hand, stays with a neighbour after his house was totally destroyed. The DPM informed them about Mankayane Elderly and Disabled Home. Dlamini agreed to live there and will soon be transported to the home.
At Maphalaleni, Mfeni Chiefdom, the DPM met John Pholi Dube (62) who is also living alone, after his wife passed on. He is occasionally visited by his grandson during school’s vacations. His house is in a bad state. He is always armed to fight snakes, which are frequent visitors, since the house has holes and closer to a rocky mountain. John was excited when told that a new house would be constructed for him. NDMA will provide him a tent in the meantime.
All these households received food rations from the DPM, comprising of rice, beans, vegetable oil and blankets. She also extended her appreciation to neighbours, Members of Parliament (MPs), Tindvuna Tetinkhundla, Bucopho and traditional structures for looking after the vulnerable in their communities.
“It is painful to learn that most of these old people have been abandoned by their children. They do not call or visit them which is wrong. My office is in a drive to reunite such families. Through the old people we will get the details of their children and announce them on local media,” she lamented.
