Sarah Ngwenya, a 70 year old senior citizen and resident of Lepheng Village in Hammanskraal, was exiled at age 17, only returning to the country with her family in 1994 for the country’s first democratic elections. Ngwenya and her family are surviving off social grants but the family home, which they have lived in for some 20 years, is dilapidated, dangerous and no longer a viable residential dwelling. For all these reasons it was a dream come true for Ngwenya when she learned that a new home would be constructed for her family as part of the City of Tshwane Vision 2055 – Remarking South Africa’s Capital City.

According to City of Tshwane Acting Director: Executive Commitment Tracking Specialist, Jennifer J Makhubela, Department of Health and Social Development, there is widespread poverty in the region. The need for development and upliftment in the community is becoming increasingly urgent in many areas.

Dijalo Property Group was approached and invited to come on board as the partner in the development of the new home for Ngwenya.

Dijalo Property Development managing director, Hosia Malekane, says that while in the business of packaging, constructing and delivering property projects for clients, the business is committed to helping build needy communities.

“When we heard about the needs of the Ngwenya family, we were deeply moved and felt compelled to help them, using our success, industry contacts and experience, to build a new structure that can be called home,” says Malekane. “Housing is a basic need and the home is the heart of a family; we have the ability to help transform lives and a community by building a new physical structure that is sound.”

Dijalo Property Development business has brought in a local contractor to construct the new home which is valued at R250 000. The different property Group companies are working together to help realise this dream for the Ngwenya family.

“We pride ourselves in setting the industry benchmark for ethical, professional service; standards which we believe are unsurpassed. We apply this same thinking to the way we approach our corporate social investment and the projects we support,” says Malekane.

The current house, located near the Hans Kekana High school, will be demolished mid-June so that a new residence can be built on the same site as the existing building. The keys to the new house are expected to be handed over by the end of August 2014.

This is not the first such project undertaken by the City of Tshwane, Department of Health and Social Development – it has already successfully built and renovated properties and is hoping to extend its reach to other regions within the City. This is a region two project – the partnership is on-going and will be activated after the identification of other needy families in the near future – projects that will assist and aid in bringing about social relief.