Cape Town - The dream of gogo Nomonde Jacobs, 75, to enjoy her new home with loved ones after 20 years of being a backyard shack dweller has been shortlived.
Jacobs died less than a week after receiving keys to her long-awaited home.
Her funeral was on Saturday in the Eastern Cape.
She was among 23 erf 8448 site beneficiaries who finally received a place they could call their own home on August 29.
A total of 570 units are expected to be constructed at the site, with electrical reticulation, public lighting and sidewalks.
The initiative, known as the Gugulethu infill housing project, stretches over two sites in Gugulethu and Mau Mau in Nyanga, and has been plagued by various challenges since it started in 2016.
Her daughter, Yonela Jacobs, 35, said while the family was heartbroken that she had not lived in the house, she at least had the opportunity to step inside it.
“When my mother fell sick and became wheelchair-bound her prayer was that she doesn’t pass away without seeing her house or even holding the keys to it.
Many elderly people have sadly died waiting for their homes. We were also starting to be concerned because initially the handover was expected in December last year.
“We made all preparations and were excited to relocate but the date was moved to February this year and that date also did not materialise.
Last month that dream finally came true but about six days later, she passed away. We had only moved a few things inside the house,” she said.
Jacobs said her mother passed away while staying in Langa with her older sibling due to her ill health and they were still waiting for some services in the new home.
“The plan was for her to stay with me and my daughter in the new house. She was looking forward to eventually sleeping and staying in her own home,” said Jacobs.
She said a family friend has been sleeping there at night for safety reasons after they were warned about houses being hijacked and other people illegally occupying them.
The housing project has seen numerous delays, with beneficiaries taking to the streets in 2020 to protest against the long wait.
Mayco member for human settlements Malusi Booi said the housing project was making steady progress.
“The Gugulethu Infill housing project is one of the City’s housing projects which were unfortunately affected by unlawful occupation.
“We cannot condone these actions and we will do everything in our power to ensure that the project is protected so that beneficiaries receive their homes. If all goes according to plan, the Gugulethu Infill housing project should be completed by September 2023. Our teams are also doing their level best to ensure that units currently in progress are completed by the end of this year,” said Booi.
Cape Times