An unemployed 25-year-old woman from Tshaulu village is pleading with members of the community to help her with accommodation and odd jobs to sustain herself. Khuthadzo Mbedzi, who is the mother of a three-year-old girl, lost her mother in 2019 while she was studying at a tertiary institution. "As she was the only one who was supporting me and my brother, I had to drop out of school because of the financial strain," she said.
Her situation worsened when her rondavel burnt down recently. "I lost everything, even my school certificates and identity document. All I have left are a few clothes that were donated to me by neighbours," she said.
She added that her family had had two thatched rondavels, but her brother lived in the other one, so she currently lived with neighbours. "I am also appealing to the business community to help me with employment. Even odd jobs are OK, just to put food on the table," she said.
Mr Phumudzo Mukhwathi, the chairperson of the People's Liberation Organisation, a non-profit organisation that fights for the welfare of poor people in South Africa, is appealing to the local municipality to help them fix the roofing of Mbedzi's burnt-down rondavel. "It's winter now and very cold out there. We are calling on local-based faith organisations and the local municipality to help this poor young woman," he said.
If you can help, phone Mbedzi at Tel 071 854 9355.