Eastern Cape MEC for Public Works, Infrastructure and Human Settlements, Hon. Siphokazi Lusithi, officially handed over 60 newly built houses to destitute and vulnerable families in Tsholomnqa, within the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), on Thursday, 05 March 2026.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, MEC Lusithi said the project demonstrated government’s commitment to uplifting the most vulnerable members of society.
“Access to adequate housing is not just about providing shelter; it is about restoring dignity and creating a foundation for families to build a better future. We are pleased to say that this project demonstrates the significance of implementing projects on time. Our collective efforts must also ensure that delivery happens within the allocated budget” said MEC Lusithi.
For beneficiaries, the handover marked a life-changing moment. Thozama Matiwane expressed her gratitude after receiving her new home: “I am overjoyed to see everything being set up in my new home! My life has truly changed from today, and I am bursting with excitement. A heartfelt thank you to Human Settlements” she said.
Funeka Faith Randoyi said the house had restored hope and dignity to her family: “I am so thrilled today that I can barely stop smiling! I will finally be living in my own home with my children, and I could not be happier to receive my keys,” she said. Randoyi, a mother of six from Weltina Location in Chalumna, has been living with her children and elderly mother in a dilapidated shack that had been severely damaged by heavy rains. Unemployed and dependent on social grants to support her family, Randoyi was among many vulnerable residents who now had access to safe and secure housing.
The 60 houses formed part of the Ngqinisa 200 Destitute Project, an intervention led by the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements after the area had been declared an anti-poverty site. The project entailed the construction of 200 houses across 22 villages in Tsholomnqa. At the time of the handover, 140 houses had already been completed and handed over to their rightful beneficiaries. The initiative fell under the Department’s Destitute and Vulnerable Groups Programme, which prioritised assistance to women, the elderly, child-headed households, persons living with disabilities and military veterans.
The handover formed part of government’s ongoing efforts to alleviate poverty, restore dignity and improve the living conditions of vulnerable communities across the province.