It will be a bleak Christmas for some Mamelodi residents who lost their homes during the floods three weeks ago. Hundreds of homes at the informal settlement were swept away after heavy rains earlier this month.
They will have to wait until next year to receive land from the government.
“We really want to do this as soon as possible but I can’t give the exact time, but our wish as the government is that by January the land should be ready for occupation”, said Gauteng government spokesperson Thabo Masebe.
Residents are being housed at the Baptist Church in the area but say they are increasingly concerned about their health after a 59-year-old woman died there over the weekend.
“When we met with the leadership of the community members, the families that are housed here, they did indicate to us that we need to attend to the issues of healthcare.
They also said they need social workers to come and speak to them whenever they need them and we have agreed to make those services available”, added Masebe.
Families will now have to spend Christmas within the church’s premises.
In other news – Andile Gumbi’s 4-year-old son recovering in hospital
According to reports Andile Gumbi‘s 4-year-old son is recovering in hospital after he allegedly shot himself in the lower body on Sunday when he was handling [a] firearm. Isibaya actor Andile died in October after suffering a heart attack while working on a musical in Israel.
Speaking to The Daily Sun, Andile’s mother, Phindile Gumbi, explained that the minor had been taken from her care by Andile’s wife, Hlengiwe Ngcongo, on Friday prior to the incident. continue reading
Source: eNCA