Help us bring further comfort and dignity to Zabalaza Mshengu

In July 2017, AFRA urged you to join us in dedicating your time and energy to bring some comfort and dignity to 103-year-old Zabalaza Mshengu and assist us in building him a room after we found him in a dire condition during a visit. You can read his story here, and help us spread the word: https://afra.co.za/2017/05/16/struggle/

From previous donations, we had R4,100 in the Mshengu Building Fund, a further R3,992 was donated to the fund a few days after the call for support was made. In total we were able to raise R8,092. We thank everybody who has supported Mshengu thus far for their generous contributions.

Because of the slow-moving wheels of justice in Mshengu’s land claim and legal processes, the building of Mshengu’s house had to be temporarily postpone, and only commenced in November, and we managed to complete the laying of the foundation. After more than 10 years of working with and frequently visiting Mshengu, we have never seen him happier.

There are costs to the building which we hadn’t anticipated, including the cost of delivery of the materials to the farm. This has affected the cost our builder (who has given of his time for free) had estimated for the 1-roomed house. Building materials have been bought, however we still need more to be able to finish the house adquately. The AFRA team and other volunteers are committed to continuing with the building over the holidays to ensure that Mshengu enters the New Year in his new house.

We appeal to you to continue to help us bring some comfort and dignity to Mshengu, as for this time of the year reminds us about giving, a time to remember others less fortunate than ourselves, a time for families to come together and celebrate the birth of Christ. And what better way to celebrate your Christmas by giving to this remarkable old man.

We would also value donations of food, blankets, or anything that will help Mshengu enjoy his Christmas.

Donations can be made to the account below or cash or in-kind donations given to our Receptionist, Faith. For more information or to get involved, please contact Nokuthula on Nokuthula@afra.co.za / 076 754 7110.

Name of Account: Association for Rural Advancement
Reference: Mshengu
Bank: First National Bank
Acc no: 50950020963
Branch Code: 223125

Update on the Legal Process:

Zabalaza Mshengu’s land claim remains unresolved, despite the Courts declaring him a labour tenant in 2007 – more than a decade ago. In July this year, the matter was referred back to Court for a third time for the settlement of the purchase price. The court ordered that the landowners and the Director General for the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) appoints the land valuers within 30 days of the order. The DRDLR have failed to comply with this court order, and AFRA continues to engage the DRDLR to push for their compliance with the court directive.