A hope of owning a house is diminishing for Noncedo Dubula, despite an undertaking by Human Settlements MEC, Bonginkosi Madikizela, to help her out of her misery.
The 35-year-old Mfuleni woman has been forced to move from one backyard to another because of her 11-year-old son, Somila., who has autism.
She said people have found it hard to accommodate her because of Somila’s condition.
Ms Dubula, who also shares a one-room shack with her husband and their two-year-old daughter, said Somila often damaged people’s belongings and property. As a result they are often kicked out of rental properties.In an interview with Vukani, Ms Dubula said she was relieved when Mr Madikizela visited them in January last year. He was apparently accompanied by some officials from his department.
She said the delegation made a commitment to give her a house because of her son’s health condition. Ms Dubula claims that after two months she was given papers to sign to confirm that she would get a house in Phase 5a, in Mfuleni.
Ms Dubula said she was told she needed to move into her own plot because of her son’s conditions.
A visibly emotional Ms Dubula said a year has passed, and she is yet to be allocated a plot. She added that she had been on the housing database since 2005. She said she had visited Phase 5a a number of times to inquire about her plot. She said was always told she would be allocated a plot soon. However, nothing is happening.
Ms Dubula said she raised her concerns with the department, but nothing had been done.
“What hurts me the most is the fact that there are people that are already moving into some of the plots. I feel like they have fooled me and played with my emotions,” she said. Ms Dubula said all she wanted was a place where Somila could live comfortably.
“I just need to have a place to live with my son and family. If I had means to buy myself my own house I would have done that long time ago. My son needs a place and that is all,” she said.
Ms Dubula said Somila survives on medication and becomes violent towards other children and damages people’s possessions when he does not get his treatment.
She said she has to lock her son at home all the time and she can’t get a job because there would be no one to look after him.
Ntomboxolo Makoba-Somdaka, spokesperson for Human Settlement MEC, Bonginkosi Madikizela, said Mr Madikizela learned about Ms Dubula’s situation in the media and he then visited her and committed to assisting her to find suitable accommodation. She said because of her husband’s income of above R3 500, the family, unfortunately, does not qualify for a free subsidised house (RDP). Therefore, she said, they qualify for a fully serviced site in Bardale Phase 5a. This, Ms Ms Somdaka, said has been communicated to Ms Dubula. Ms Dubula’s case has been considered in terms of the special needs category and is, therefore, a priority, she added.
“The City of Cape Town is in a process of allocating sites to qualifying beneficiaries and Ms Dubula is one of these beneficiaries. The actual accommodation on site is expected to take place soon,” she said.
