Mpumalanga Premier, Mr. Mandla Ndlovu, today officially handed over a newly built three-bedroom home to 72-year-old Ms. Barilitiye Mashego, a mother of seven from Buffelshoek in Bushbuckridge Local Municipality. The home, made possible through the partnership between the Mpumalanga Provincial Government and Absa Bank, is fully furnished, electrified and equipped with running water and a geyser.
For many years, Ms. Mashego and her family lived in a small and overcrowded house before they were identified by the Office of the Premier for assistance. Through the Absa Housing Project, the family has now moved into a new home that provides them with a safer and more dignified living environment.
Speaking at the handover, Premier Ndlovu congratulated Ms. Mashego and her family and urged her children and grandchildren to remain committed to their education and make the most of the opportunities available to them. He emphasised the importance of education in creating opportunities and encouraged the family to use their new home as a foundation for a better future.
The handover was an emotional moment for Ms. Mashego, who was so overwhelmed by the new home that she struggled to put her appreciation into words. She asked her child to speak on her behalf, with her child expressing the family’s gratitude and saying the new home will change their lives for the better and restore dignity to the family.
The partnership between the Mpumalanga Provincial Government and Absa Bank is aimed at providing housing to vulnerable households across the province, with a focus on multi-generational families living in overcrowded or structurally unsound dwellings, as well as vulnerable households headed by children and pensioners.
The handover affirms the value of the partnership between the Mpumalanga Provincial Government and Absa Bank, whose continued investment in vulnerable communities is accelerating access to adequate housing and demonstrating what strong public-private collaboration can achieve. The Premier was joined by Absa Regional Manager, Mr. Alfred Nkosi, and Executive Mayor of Bushbuckridge Local Municipality, Ms. Lydia Moroane.