By Iviwe Haarmans
On Tuesday, 14 March 2023, the SACP built a new house for Ntombizanele Regina Wokolo. The construction of Mama Regina’s house began after a three-year-long waiting period. Present at the construction site were South African Communist Party (SACP) leaders through the relaunch of their Human Settlement, Hunger, Health and Water (HHH+W) campaign.
Tantyi resident, Ntombizanele Regina Wokolo and her three grandchildren have lived in a dilapidated house made of mud, straw, sticks, cloth, and corrugated iron sheets for years. The house has wall gaps, and rain and wind get in, making living difficult.
Mama Regina has struggled to get an RDP house for years. “I applied several times. When I followed up, I was told to apply from scratch,” said Mokolo.
Mama Regina added that she has been surviving through the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ (COGTA’s) community work programme (CWP) and her grandchildren’s social grant. “I have been surviving off the grants of my grandchildren for this long period; it was obvious to me that we would not make it through some periods. Thus I had to participate in the CWP – an initiative to ensure we make it through the months,” said Mama Regina.
According to the chairperson of the Young Communist League, Siyabonga Jam, “The party relaunched its HHH+W campaign. One of the issues we have identified is the crisis here [and an intervention needed to be made]. There are kids who were very young, and the youngest was three years old at the time.”
Deputy District secretary of the Young Communist League, Mthumhle Kepe, says, “It’s pretty sad, and we are happy to [finally]be here. It’s been a very long, arduous journey. Three years is a long time [to wait for proper housing]. As a party, we want to be accessible to people and assist wherever possible.”
Mama Regina says all she asks is for success so that she can feel a sense of pride when she leaves her house.
Mncedisi Boma, SACP Deputy District Secretary, said, “We are restoring dignity to you by giving you a house that can weather the storms. Once it is complete, we will come back and do an official handover of the new and final structure.”
