Premier Mabuza gives a house to a 100-year old gogo

Premier Mabuza gives a house to a 100-year old gogo

It is festive season gifts galore for an Embalenhle Township Gogo, Dolly Kubheka, who on Friday [12 December 2014] was presented with a birthday cake and a house by Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza when she celebrated her 100^th birthday.

Premier Mabuza was in Secunda to hand over 33 houses built by Sasol through his personal initiative, Kancane Kancane, of asking the business people to assist him build houses for the elderly, disabled and child-headed families.

Gogo Kubheka was a recipient of one the houses built by Sasol emanating from memorandum of understanding entered into by the Mpumalanga provincial government and Sasol in 2012. Sasol spent R13 million in building all 33 luxurious and upmarket houses in various areas surrounding the Govan Mbeki Local Municipality. Sasol built 17 houses at Embalenhle, 9 at Lebohang, 5 at Emzinoni, 2 at Kinross and all had built in toilets and had water and electricity.

During the house hand-over ceremony held at the Sasol Club near the plant, a relatively strong-looking 100-year old, Gogo Kubheka, stood up from her chair to hug the Premier and thanked him for her house saying she had been living in a shack with her children and grandchildren for the rest of her life.

She jokingly told the Premier that she did not want any children in her house as they would “untidy” the walls and would subsequently hide her belongings since she was old.

“This is the best gift ever since I celebrated my birthdays. This house is beautiful and is suitable for me; my question is what will I do with my children and my grandchildren? I cannot just give them away, they are mine and I love them, I guess I will have to bring all of them in, we will live together just like chickens,” said Gogo Kubheka.

Speaking at a handover at a Sasol Club House in Secunda, Premier Mabuza said the handover happened at an appropriate time when the country was still remembering the legacy of the late President Mandela who died in December.

“This is the right way to honour the late President. We thank Sasol for following in his footsteps by being selfless in improving the lives of some of our people without expecting any reward. We must all continue this journey to better our country by noting where we come from. It is upon all of us to avail ourselves and take part in building a united, prosperous and a democratic society that will enjoy all the freedoms we can think of.

“We must try to emulate the examples Tata Madiba left behind. Today’s event tells us that for a long time these grannies never had houses, they never had clinics or schools, and unfortunately some of them are now walking their last mile without these services.

“Today I find comfort in that before they leave this earth, they will have shelter they will call home. The rains that will come after today will never find them,” said Mabuza.

The Premier said apartheid left a very difficult legacy for the democratic government to fix in a short period of time as the “damage was too deep”. He said although the government was providing the services, it was not easy to solve all the problems.

“We don’t have an option, together with the business sector; we must try and come closer to the people who have been the recipients of this suffering. It is a reality that everyday there are millions of people who go to bed without food.

“Let us not get tired; what Sasol has done is a good cause. People must stand up and make a difference. The struggle for getting water, houses, jobs, electricity and roads continues. As a provincial government, we know why we are partnering with the private sector in giving the old people houses, it is because we have a past that we must correct together,” said Mabuza.

He said dealing with the legacy of the past was not about opening the wounds, but it was the history that could not be denied which needed all South Africans to carry and move forward.

“Each time when the sun rises, we must stand up and work together. Working with the government, Sasol has already restored the dignity of some of our people,” said Mabuza.