Gogo asks Premier Mabuza to sing Nkosi Sikelela for her

24 August 2013

Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza’s Kancane Kancane Housing Legacy Project brought a particular meaning to an elderly woman who could not hold her joy but asked that Mabuza and his entourage sing a Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrica song for her.

Premier Mabuza yesterday [Friday, 23 August 2013] donated a luxurious and up-market sponsored three-bedroom house to a 76-year old Hleziphi Mthethwa of Mafufube village in Mayflower near Badplaas who had lived most of her life in a poor mud house and survived on a social grant.

Ms Mthethwa told Mabuza she did not believe that it was her house regardless of it being built on her yard. She was Mabuza’s house had brought “freedom” to her family of five who mainly rely on her social grant.

She burst into tears of joy and subsequently asked the Premier and his entourage to sing a Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrica song, which saw the delegation stand into attention and sang for the elderly.

“It feels like I have been freed from the slavery. This is a dream come true. Even when this house was being built, I numerously questioned if indeed it was mine. Could you please sing the Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrica, because freedom has come to my house,” said Ms Mthethwa.

Mabuza had visited the area to donate five houses of his Kancane Kancane Housing Legacy Project built since May this year by different sponsors which are Mageba Projects, Corobrick, Afrisam, Cosmos and Basil Read. All houses had been furnished and the beneficiaries were further given food parcels and blankets.

Speaking at the handing-over ceremonies, Mabuza said South Africa was coming from the past which had lots of challenges which negatively affected communities, one of them was lack of houses. He said government knew about the people’s problems and was addressing them.

“We made an agreement with the people that we will build better communities by providing to our people amongst others houses and water. We said we are not going to wait for government alone to build houses.

“We have partners who have means, indeed we are glad that the private sector is coming on board to assist us deliver on that agreement. We are also speeding up our processes as a government in delivering on that promise we made with our people,” said Mabuza.

He conceded that the provincial government still had challenges in delivering the RDP houses; however his intervention in the department of human settlements was bearing fruits. He said although a number of houses were being built, there was still a long way to go.

“We have introduced a new MEC, new HOD and new senior management officials in the department of human settlements. Through our intervention we have managed to complete many RDP houses within a specific 100 days. We are getting better every day.

“It will always be difficult to put a time frame on when we would complete building houses for all the citizens because the population is growing day by day. Generation after generation will always have the housing problems because those who are young today will soon graduate and mature and as they become adults they will need to be settled in the developed areas,” said Mabuza.

He appreciated the sponsors of his Kancane Kancane Housing Legacy Project saying their efforts came to fully fledged houses. The sponsors further supported the Premier with school uniforms and food parcels which he donated at a local school as part of celebrating his 53rd birthday with the learners.

He said the uniform would go a long way in inspiring the learners to do well on their studies and in instilling discipline. He said they stood up and took their time to help others.

“You have made the lives of these people much better. I am grateful to you; it is encouraging to notice that there are still such people of your calibre in our society. We thank you for realising that government alone cannot solve all the problems.

“The challenges we have are the nature of our social problems, we can only solve our problems only if we work together,” said Mabuza.

Issued by Zibonele Mncwango

Spokesperson: Mpumalanga Premier

Mpumalanga Provincial Government

Office of the Premier

Tel: (013) 766 -2453

Mobile: 079 491 0163

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