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Nkandla - A house the EFF donated to a woman living in Nkandla before last year's elections will have to be demolished because of poor workmanship, party leader Julius Malema said on Monday.
Malema has conceded that the house, on the fringes of President Jacob Zuma's sprawling homestead in rural KwaZulu-Natal, is on the verge of collapse because of shoddy construction.
“I think generally there was poor workmanship from the beginning. The best thing to do is to just demolish and rebuild the entire structure. We will solve this matter once and for all. I will send a team there tomorrow to inspect the house,” said Malema.
Fears house will collapse
Sthandiwe Hlongwane, 32, told News24 that although she was grateful for the house, she feared it would collapse. Hlongwane said she has become the laughing stock of the ANC-dominated Nxamalala community.
The house was built with much fanfare and handed to Hlongwane’s family in January last year as part of Malema’s campaign ahead of the 2014 general elections.
(Amanda Khoza, News24)
But more than a year later, Hlongwane says the house is a health hazard to her and her family. She says the walls have cracks, the ceiling boards are coming loose and there is no water connection, so the family has to use an outside toilet.
Hlongwane wanted to Malema come and see for himself.
“(After Malema came here) I had problems in the community, which is majority ANC members. The community feels like I was targeted by the EFF in order for them to try and win over votes in the president's own backyard.
'Happy they heard my cries'
“I am sure he (Malema) thinks that the house is fine. We have a veranda with no steps, the walls are cracking and there is just so much that is wrong with the house. The ANC is probably looking at me and laughing now that the house if falling apart."
She however did not want to seem ungrateful.
“Please don’t get me wrong. We are happier. This house is so much better than what we had before. Today we have shelter. We have a roof over our heads. Because I am poor this is good enough for me and my family.”
Hlongwane was elated when she heard Malema would send a team to Nkandla.
“If they want to demolish it, it’s fine. I am just happy that they heard my cries,” said Hlongwana.
(Amanda Khoza, News24)
