Everyone has a fundamental human right to housing, which ensures access to a safe, secure, habitable, and affordable home with freedom from forced eviction. It is the government’s obligation to guarantee that everyone can exercise this right to live in security, peace, and dignity. In South Africa RDP housing ensures that basic human right is fulfilled.
With the recent issues that have been plaguing the people of Hennenman in terms of their RDP Houses, which the Hennenman Victim Empowerment Forum has made it their mission to ensure that it seeks to help were they are able to.To counter the issues and help the people with their complaints, Recently, CJN designed a show that sought to bring awareness on housing issues. This topic has been aired across some of the partner radio station by our paralegal journalists, and Rock FM broadcasted the topic during the week of the 27th July to the 3rd of Aug). During the show Confidence from Rock FM spoke on challenges woman are facing within the housing environment as there is a lot of discrimination within that sector of which they are being directed to woman.
This topic expanded in the following week to making all voices count and tries and bring transparency in service delivery with housing in the Free State , more especially in Hennenman, and also know their rights. On the 27 July 2017 the show featured Ms Silvia Kgasakgo and Maphoka Tladi siblings who were victims, which an amount of R22 000 was taken from them by Moses Ndlovu who works at Proco Matjhabeng Municipality who claimed will give them a site (yard) in exchange of R 22 000. Both Silvia and Maphoka haven’t received any land since giving over the money in 26 August 2015.
Masabata Nobandla was talking on behalf of her parents. Her mother is from Lesotho and her father is a South African Citizen with disability. They were married since from 1998 and their application for RDP house was rejected. Housing over the years has proven to be a big issue in SA but with the help of information hubs such as community radio stations and advice centers it has proven that people are a step closer to getting what they deserve.
Listen to Hennenman Victim Empowerment Forum discuss Housing on Thursday at 12 pm at the Rock FM.
