Only the foundation has been dug for Anele Dyosane's house
Seven years ago, Anele Dyosane, from Bityi village outside Mthatha, Eastern Cape, was approved to receive an RDP house under the Mandela Destitute Housing Project.
The development has two phases of 200 units each. The first phase was completed in the 2018/19 financial year, according to provincial human settlements spokesperson Yanga Funani.
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Dyosane is a beneficiary of the second phase, which commenced on 27 September 2022 with expected completion by late September 2026. It includes 68 units for his ward.
The contractor dug only the foundation for his house in March 2025. There has been no further progress, and the contractor is no longer on site.
Funani says the contractor is expected to resume construction in August.
Meanwhile, Dyosane, who was orphaned at a young age, lives alone in a crumbling mud house. The leaking zinc roof is open to the sky in places and held down with rocks. Two of the house's four rooms collapsed during heavy rains two years ago. He has patched a damaged wall with old zinc sheets.
In 2014, Dyosane says he went to Cape Town in search of work, but was robbed and suffered a head injury, forcing him to return home. He still experiences severe headaches.
He survives on piece jobs and support from neighbours. He says he is unable to afford the transport to get to a doctor for the medical check-up needed to apply for a disability grant. He also does not receive the R370 Social Relief of Distress grant because he does not own a cellphone.
"Someone once tried to apply on my behalf, but I was told the application was unsuccessful," he said.
According to community activist Lindokuhle Xego, Mandela Desitute is not the only delayed Bityi housing project. Another project managed to reach foundation slab level before it was abandoned. "Residents who later managed to raise money built their own houses on top of those slabs," said Xego.
Xego said Dyosane's "situation is very worrying". They fear his house will collapse.
"We just want him to receive the house he was promised," said Xego.
Funani confirmed that two housing projects in the Bityi Administrative Area remain incomplete - the Mandela Destitute 400 and KSD Destitute 315.
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