Mpolonjeni – Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla officially handed over three houses and an orphanage to vulnerable families in Mpolonjeni and Nkhaba Constituencies on Friday, 5th December 2025, in a move reflecting the government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring shelter and dignity for those most in need.
Among the recipients, Thandeka Dlamini, a 47-year-old blind mother of five from Ekupheleni, received a two-room house complete with a toilet. Following the death of her boyfriend, the father of her children, Dlamini had faced financial struggles, often unable to afford rent. The local Umphakatsi provided the land, while the DPM’s Office, through the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), constructed the house. Dlamini’s home will also feature a kitchen, which the DPM pledged to build, and the Umphakatsi will fence the area to allow the family to cultivate crops.
In Nduma, 86-year-old Gogo Tryphina Dlamini received a new home after narrowly escaping injury when her stick-and-mud house collapsed. Dlamini had been living in a tent provided by the NDMA while her new house was under construction. The elderly woman has already moved into the new home due to harsh weather conditions.
At Mpolonjeni, the Orphanage Care Centre, which had been destroyed by a storm, was rebuilt through the DPM’s Office and the NDMA. The new facility will not only provide shelter for children with disabilities but also offer life-skills training. Chief Zembe commended the DPM’s swift response and shared plans to expand the centre with a hostel for children with severe disabilities.
In Jubukweni, under the Nkhaba Inkhundla, Phumelele Mnisi, aged 59, was also a beneficiary of the handover. Mnisi had been living with neighbours after her house collapsed. Overcome with emotion, she expressed heartfelt gratitude for the new home. MP Hope Shiba highlighted that many other households in the constituency are still living in tents and urgently need assistance.
The DPM expressed relief that no one had lost their lives due to the recent extreme weather, which caused several homes to collapse. She also expressed concern for families affected by storms in Mayiwane and other surrounding communities.
“Providing proper shelter to vulnerable families is a priority, in line with His Majesty King Mswati III’s mandate,” said the DPM. “We hope, little by little, to address the needs of many more families across the country. We thank the Chiefs’ councils for their support in providing land for the destitute.”
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