28 Jan 2016

The coordinator of the President’s Housing Appeal Initiative, Colonel Duke Masilo has appealed to individuals to offer assistance to the initiative.

Speaking at the handing over of two houses constructed through the proceeds of Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund staff members in Sorilatholo on Wednesday, Col Masilo said currently most of the assistance they get was from companies and organisations while individual help was minimal.

He said this might be a result of the perception that the assistance needed should be in large sums of money. He, however, said the initiative welcomes any assistance no matter how small, especially that there were many citizens that needed to be assisted with shelter.

He noted that the initiative has become a success since it was launched in 2010, with the first house constructed in 2011. 

Col Masilo applauded MVA Fund staff members across the county for their compassion and contributing their money to build the houses.

He said so far 555 houses have been handed to the needy while 60 were still under construction. Col Masilo also appealed to the public to desist from hiding needy people, but to rather work closely with social workers so that they could be assisted like other citizens.

Col Masilo also appealed to Village Development Committees to work with councils to ensure that the houses were maintained. 

Giving the project background, outgoing chief executive officer of MVA Fund, Mr Cross Kgosidiile said the two houses were constructed from contributions of staff members across the country as a way of showing botho to other citizens.

He said the project started in August last year, and that because of the distance of Sorilatholo from amenities, they faced a challenge of suppliers being reluctant to deliver materials. He said this ended up increasing the cost of the houses, which he said were constructed at P70 000 each. He said MVA Fund staff members also furnished the houses with basic house hold items such as beds and stoves at an additional cost of P10 000 each.

Mr Kgosidiile also appreciated the assistance they got from residents of the village throughout the construction of the houses. 

In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Olebetse Phemelo hailed MVA Fund staff members, saying they demonstrated compassion. 

Kgosi Phemelo also called for the compassion to be extended towards the construction of staff houses in rural areas, saying officers were reluctant to work in rural areas.

Giving a word of encouragement, Letlhakeng deputy sub council chairperson, Cllr Lefoko Kegopotswe called for more assistance in the Kweneg area, saying it was crippled by poverty. He also called for more education on the Presidential Housing Initiative.

 

The two houses were constructed for the families of Ms Ganetsang Taunyane and Mr Butshwana Keokang, who unfortunately died while the house was still under construction. His seven children, however, would use the house. Ends