Emotional hand-over of houses in Nyanga

As Human Settlements Deputy Minister handed over a house to Egnas Dyidi in Nyanga East, the pensioner started sobbing uncontrollably having been unable to leave her house for 10 years. Image: GCIS

The Deputy Minister had gone to the area to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Women's Charter and the 1956 Women's March to the Union Buildings against pass laws.

An excited Dyidi later wiped the tears from her eyes, smiled and said she was grateful that the Kota-Fredericks, along with her entourage that included several other government departments, had come together to help change her life.

Asked how she felt about being given a newly-built house, a Dyidi could only say she was "very happy".

Kota-Fredericks first visited Dyidi a few months ago after it was brought to her attention that the elderly woman, who lives with her six-year-old great grandson Avethandwa Dyidi, had be stuck in her dilapidated house for a decade.

Kota-Fredericks said she decided to intervene after she was touched by the story of the sickly woman who was being looked after by her grandson and her neighbours.

"I am very excited about today, handing over a house to mam' uDyidi, who has been in her house for 10 years, not able to be seen by a doctor because she was too big to get out of the door.

Too big to get out of the door

"We were able to demolish that house and build a new one for her, so it is an exciting moment," she said.

Because she was bedridden, Dyidi had not been able to re-register for her social grant after the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) insisted pensioners come in person to re-register earlier this year.

This left Didyi without an income for months.

Upon hearing Dyidi's story a few months ago, the Kota-Fredericks said she asked the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC), to find sponsors to build a new home for the pensioner.

She said other departments came on board to assist. Social Development helped Dyidi with her pension registration, while the Department of Health got health workers to attend to her illness.

Delekile Klaas, a regional Commissioner for Correctional Services in the Western Cape, said prison inmates, as part of an offender rehabilitation programme, designed and built a new bed for Dyidi and also made furniture for her new 60m² two bedroom house.

The Deputy Minister said the house was built using energy-efficient, alternative technology, which makes the house to be warm in winter and cool in summer.

"This house is beautiful. I am excited to do something of this magnitude during Women's Month to ensure that women who find themselves in a vulnerable position are being helped in this fashion," Kota-Fredericks said