Durban — With as little as R10, donors helped build a home for a 69-year-old disabled woman and rape survivor in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal, recently.
The woman, who lived in a shack, was sexually assaulted in March by a 29-year-old man. The accused is awaiting trial.
After hearing about her plight, the Ayanda Msweli Foundation lobbied local residents and business people to make donations of R10.
Nongoma Local Municipality ward 1 councillor Falakhe Shongwe said that the municipality mandated a contractor to do electricity installation plans at the newly-built house.
Shongwe said that the municipality joined forces with the foundation and was making plans to provide the woman with water from a water tanker whenever necessary.
“The municipality has assisted the gogo with psycho-social support and have ensured that she is looked after by her neighbours, until her house is completed. We are also planning to have it tiled, and a ceiling installed,” said Shongwe.
Ayanda Msweli Foundation spokesperson Sphume Mathe said the woman detailed the brutal rape she suffered.
Through this intervention, the accused was arrested, placed before court and denied bail. The woman received counselling.
Mathe said they observed that the one-room house in which she lived with no door handle made her vulnerable to such attacks in the first place.
“It was imperative for us to raise funds to build her a dignified house. Many organisations came through.”
Nhlanhla Mdluli of Dlula Logistics donated R20 000. Mdluli also lobbied Build-It Ulundi to donate towards the house, to which a further R20 000 worth of building materials was donated. Mdluli asked a business associate of his, who asked to remain anonymous, for assistance and R10 000 was donated into the foundation’s account, said Mathe.
Correctional Services national spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo reached out after seeing a video posted by the foundation.
“Correctional Services offered labour and provided the foundation with 10 prisoners and two artisans from Ncome Prison to assist with the building project. The project was begun, but we ran out of funds when material was needed for the roof,” Mathe said.
The vice chairperson of the Alexander Taxi Association, Jabulani Mpungose, encouraged the foundation to travel to Johannesburg for more funding.
“This is when Iconsi Ligcwalisa Ibhakede came on board. Iconsi Ligcwalisa Ibhakede pleaded for only R10 because we believed that the less a person donated, it would make a huge difference,” Ayanda Msweli said.
Msweli said the campaign shifted from being donation-focused to reviving the spirit of ubuntu. “We preach “Fihla Ihlazo Lika Makhelwane”’ everywhere we go, loosely translated meaning, ‘cover your neighbour’s shame’.”
“South Africans who have supported our endeavours have turned the tide for us; this is the first time a house has been built by ordinary South Africans who have donated with joy, some with excitement, others with a lump in their throats and tears in their eyes,” Msweli said.
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