MAPHILINGO – Deputy Prime Minister Senator Thulisile Dladla has intensified government’s response to the damage caused by persistent heavy rains, touring affected communities in the Shiselweni and Lubombo regions to assess infrastructure damage and household vulnerability.
During her visit to Maphilingo under the Siphofaneni Inkhundla, the DPM inspected areas impacted by flooding and delivered building materials and food parcels to senior citizen Robert Sihlongonyane.
The visit formed part of government’s broader efforts to mitigate the effects of the recent downpours, which have damaged roads, bridges and homes.
According to Siphofaneni Bucopho Zanele Shongwe, Sihlongonyane lives with two of his children and four grandchildren, one of whom has a disability.
The family had been living in a single stick-and-mud structure before the community intervened.
Shongwe said residents mobilised themselves after assessing the family’s living conditions and constructed an additional stick-and-mud house to improve their safety and dignity.
As a result, Sihlongonyane and his female children have since relocated to the newly-built structure.
During her engagement with the family and community members, Dladla reiterated government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly and people living with disabilities.
She acknowledged that poverty remains widespread in many rural communities and warned that without deliberate interventions, the situation could persist for years.
On another note, the DPM expressed concern that poverty remains deeply entrenched in many rural communities, warning that without proactive efforts, it may take years for many emaSwati to improve their living conditions.
The DPM noted that her observations during recent tours of rain-affected areas highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by many households.
On another note, Dladla lamented what she described as a tendency among some emaSwati to remain inactive instead of pursuing opportunities that could improve their livelihoods.
She stressed that poverty should not be accepted as a permanent condition.
The DPM emphasised that government, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mswati III, has introduced several funding programmes aimed at uplifting citizens, including the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and the Youth Revolving Fund. She urged emaSwati to take advantage of these initiatives rather than waiting for handouts.
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