Port St Johns, Eastern Cape – In a touching act, the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements has handed over houses to destitute women in Port St Johns, including an 89-year-old beneficiary, Mamnikelwa Dumba.
Dumba, a resident of Swazini Village, had been living in poor conditions with her five children and five grandchildren in a mud structure. She was overjoyed to receive the keys to her new home, saying,
“I was homeless before today, but now I have a place to call my own. I’m over the moon with excitement.”
The handover ceremony was led by Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, accompanied by Deputy Minister Steve Letsike, Acting Premier for the Eastern Cape Nonkqubela Pieters, and district and local mayors.
The housing project, which covers seven villages in Ward 9 under Port St John’s Local Municipality, aims to provide safer communities and respond to the housing needs of identified families.
According to Acting Premier Hon Nonkqubela Pieters, “This handover signifies the government’s commitment to protecting the elderly, who are the most vulnerable and have been targeted in the OR Tambo district.”
The OR Tambo District Municipality has one of the highest rates of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), making it a critical area of focus for interventions and support services.
