ZANDILE Mwelase said as a 16-year-old teenager, she knew life was about to get tough when her mum died.
But the 20-year-old from Siyanda A, north of Durban said she didn’t think she would suffer so much.
Zandile told Daily Sun their one-roomed tin shack is falling apart, the roof is leaking, her siblings are sick, their support grant has stopped and she can’t even afford a loaf of bread.
She said her mum died in 2013 and left her with her five siblings aged 4–12 in a shack that she rents.
Zandile said what makes things worse is she now has her own child (3) to support.
“For a few months after our mum died, our neighbours and relatives used to help us, paying the R200 rent and for food but they no longer do that.
“In most cases we go to bed on empty stomachs. But I always beg people and my baby daddy to gather rent money so we don’t end up on the streets.”
Zandile had to drop out of school in grade nine because no one could help her with school fees. “My siblings are still at school because their teachers help them.”
She said their rusty tin shack is old and the inside looks as bad as it does outside. “Last week, a corrugated iron sheet fell down and almost injured us. We sleep, cook and bath in this shack.”
She said her mum became sick and died before she could apply for an RDP.
“My siblings’ child support grants were stopped after my mum died and I can’t apply for them because I don’t have an identity document.”
Councillor Mamane Xulu said at the moment there are no houses available.
“They will have to wait.”
KZN Human Settlements spokesman Mbulelo Baloyi said the family should go to the eThekwini Human Settlements office in Phoenix to apply for an RDP house.
KZN Social Development spokeswoman Ncumisa Ndelu asked for the family’s contact details so the matter can be investigated.
