In a province where more than 368 553 households are still waiting for proper housing, a Mpofana Municipality ward councillor has turned personal compassion into action, making it his mission to help families rebuild their homes after disaster. Wiseman Wayne has made fundraising and community mobilisation a core part of his work, focusing on rebuilding homes destroyed by fire and assisting families living in informal settlements who have nowhere else to turn. Wayne is spearheading the reconstruction of two homes that were destroyed in separate fire incidents, as well as the construction of a new house for a family living in an informal settlement.
In both cases, lives were tragically lost, leaving families not only grieving but also homeless and financially unable to rebuild. “These are very sensitive cases that touched me deeply and made me want to help, even though it has been a while since the incidents happened,” Wayne said. One of the houses burnt down back in 2018, before I was even elected as a ward councillor, yet the family has never been able to recover.
They were forced to separate and move in with relatives, but all they want is a place they can once again call home. He said South Africa’s housing crisis had stripped many families of dignity, particularly those already living on the margins. “The housing crisis in our country is very serious.
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People deserve dignity, safety and stability. I care deeply about my community, and I felt compelled to do something instead of simply watching families suffer,” he said. Last year, a similar initiative brought hope and relief to families in Bruntville after severe weather destroyed their homes.
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