By Buziwe Nocuze
A woman in Cape Town who uses a wheelchair says she has lost all hope of owning her own house despite being approved for a house in 2012.
Ntombokuqala Nopulula, 53, was involved in a car accident in 1996 which affected her spinal cord and she has needed the assistance of a wheelchair in order to be mobile ever since.
“It breaks my heart to see people who were approved at the same time as me getting their houses while I’m stuck in a shack,” she told Scrolla.Africa.
The documents she received in 2012 said she has been approved to receive a home as part of the housing project.
“This document brought me joy but not anymore. Every time I look at it I ask myself what happened to my house?”
She was told that her house was amongst other houses that were going to be built on the N2 Gateway, Phase 3.
“The houses were completed and beneficiaries got their houses. I have been to the housing department but I am still stuck here and nobody is giving me straight answers,” she said.
“My turn would have passed if I were approved to get a house on the completed project. Will
I ever get a house or will I die in this shack?” she asked
Nopulula is forced to use her grant money to pay rent and faces several challenges living in her current home.
“When it rains, I ask people for accommodation. And sometimes in the middle of the night you hear people screaming that there is a fire. It is challenging to stay in a shack when you are disabled,” she said.
Craig-Lee Smith, a spokesperson for MEC Tertius Simmers, Ministry of Infrastructure in Western Cape, said the N2 Gateway was a National Priority Project and it is one of those projects which experienced many delays.
“We can confirm that the beneficiary was indeed approved in 2012, however it must be noted that this project was subject to delays related to community unrest and internal dynamics. As a result, the project only recommenced in 2016 and was completed in April this year.”
Smith advises the beneficiary to visit her nearest housing office and inquire about upcoming projects which will cater for her disability.
Pictured above: Ntombokuqala Nopulula was approved to get a house in 2012, sadly that never happened and she is still staying in a shack.
Image source: Buziwe Nocuze
