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Editor: Bettie Giliomee
Investigation to save family living in poor conditions NCEBA DLADLA
A
UITENHAGE resident Portia Tola (24) who volunteered for the Community Old age Centre, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in KwaNobuhle was shocked to see the manner in which some members of a family survived the appalling conditions in which they lived.
Pikoli and her children lived, and were concerned. “We went to the Ward Cllr Andile Gqabi who told us he knew about Pikoli’s case and was endeavouring to assist her family,” said Kambu. According to Kambu, it is Cllr Gqabi who made sure that Pikoli got the job in the Community Works Programme.
two of her children. Her social pay card was kept by a loan shark (umatshonisa) and her 16 year-old first-born was not attending school. KwaNobuhle Community Sector Policing Constable Kiambu Kambu said working with the Community Police Forum (CPF), they had investigated the conditions under which
Gqabi agreed. He further mentioned that his office was aware of the condition of the house which is a result of poor workmanship. “We have looked into her plight as a mother of little children and put her house in the rectification programme which will start soon after the provincial government’s award.”
Through Tola’s endeavours, the family in KwaNobuhle is getting the attention of the powers that be. Tola was part of a group of volunteers doing home visits for a survey on how KwaNobuhle residents survived in the midst of joblessness and poverty. The survey was aimed at checking the sick, the elderly and vulnerable children who needed government support grants or any other assistance. “We checked those who were on medication to see whether they had people to assist them and offered assistance when opportunities arose,” said Tola. Tola was however shocked by the way Nomathemba Pikoli (40) and her three children lived in their Mlambo Street house. Pikoli’s RDP house is a shambles. The house has cracks. The ceiling is falling down owing to strong winds. There are no windows, no window frames and locks in the doors. And when it has rained, water comes flooding in the house. “This house was built in 2005 and owned by my late father Wilson Sizani. It has had these problems ever since. I have been to the Ward Councillor a couple of times. He once came to investigate the situation but offered no assistance,” claimed Pikoli. There was a woman who came from Port Elizabeth to take pictures of the house in 2011 but did not come back, according to Pikoli. She did not know where the woman was from. But, a concerned Tola found out that despite all her RDP house miseries, Pikoli, who works twice a month in the Community Works Programme, receives social grants for
KwaNobuhle residents care for Nomathemba Pikoli and her children.
PHOTO:NCEBA DLADLA
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