SHISELWENI – Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla handed over newly built two-roomed houses to four vulnerable families in Shiselweni 1 and Sigwe constituencies on Thursday, offering long-awaited relief to those who had been living in unsafe conditions.
The first handover took place at the Vilakati homestead, where Thandeka and Mxolisi Vilakati, along with their six children, had been living under a tent after their thatched hut was damaged by rains earlier this year. Their new home now provides the family with a safe and dignified shelter.
Nearby, 80-year-old Gladys Ntjangase was overcome with emotion as she received keys to her new house. Her previous home collapsed in January, and she admitted she had doubted the DPM’s earlier promise to rebuild. 
In Sigwe, Gogo Josphinah Ndlovu and her extended family of six were also beneficiaries. Their previous dwelling, described as a cracked and leaking structure, frequently exposed them to snake bites. The new house offers a much-needed refuge for the elderly woman, her daughter-in-law Nomcebo Nxumalo, and four grandsons.
Another family supported was that of Ndoda and Dwana Simelane, who are raising nine children. The DPM first met them in January and helped reconnect the family through the Asibambaneni Sibengumndeni reality programme, which located the father who had been away seeking employment for three years. The family is also set to receive goats, chickens, fencing material, and a solar energy system to support their livelihood.
Alongside the homes, the Deputy Prime Minister distributed food parcels and essential household goods, including rice, noodles, and washing basins.
The houses were built with support from the National Disaster Management Agency, which was recognised by the DPM for playing a critical role in the construction process.
