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MEDIA STATEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ATT: REPORTERS, ASSIGNMENT EDITORS

10 May 2020

Human Settlements brings safer shelter to homeless Centane man

East London ——– 55-Year old Mbuyiseli Ngantweni from Nombanjana Village in Centane, Mnquma Local Municipality, who was homeless until now, received a temporary structure and much needed winter clothes and groceries. The MEC of Human Settlements, Ms. Nonkqubela Pieters, together with the Mnquma LM Speaker, Cllr Thobeka Bikitsha, today,10 May 2020 visited Ngantweni to assess his new home and brought him clothes and groceries. This forms part of the Department’s Covid19 Programme of offering immediate relief that also looks at long-term sustainable benefits to the communities.

“I am feeling so good today, that the MEC and her team have done this for me. This is so much better than where I was staying, my situation has improved for the better,” said Mbuyiseli Ngantweni. The Department continues to prioritise the destitute and vulnerable groups such as Ngantweni. The Department is focusing on ensuring the vulnerable EC communities are safe and protected from the likelihood of contracting the virus. The plight of Ngantweni was brought to the attention of the MEC by the Premier and acted swiftly in ensuring the family gets a decent shelter. “I’m here today after I saw the story of utata Ngantweni, his living condition was unsafe and we had to step in as provincial government and bring him this temporary structure for now, we will give him a more permanent solution later on,” said MEC Pieters.

Ngantweni was staying in a neighbour’s home, which was unsafe with a zink roof that had big holes. He was suffering alone, as he has no family helping him and depended on the mercy of some neighbours for food. His granddaughter, Angelina Meyer, a grade 9 learner, said she was very excited they have a place of their own. “Now we have our own place to stay in and not be chased from other people’s houses, thank you to all of you,” she said. In the spirit of Mother’s Day today, the MEC gave the family winter clothes and groceries. One of the reasons of such interventions is to assist the destitute people to safely adhere to lockdown regulations and practice safe social distancing.

Cllr Bikitsha thanked the neighbours for always supporting each other and urged the community to look out for one another especially now when the province and country is faced with the Covid-19 pandemic.

ISSUED BY: Ministry of Eastern Cape Human Settlements

Enquiries: Spokesperson Masiza Mazizi

Cell: 066 010 4865/ 076 804 4292

Facebook: EC Human Settlements News Channel