A visit by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Thulisile Dladla to a vulnerable family in Lubombo has brought new hope to three children after she pledged to build them a new home.
The intervention came after Lubombo Member of Parliament Joseph Souza raised the plight of the Mngometulu family during the launch of the Food-for-Work Programme at Mhlumeni on Wednesday.
Touched by the situation, Senator Dladla decided to visit the family’s homestead immediately to witness their living conditions.
There, she met 18-year-old Gcinile Mngometulu, who has taken on responsibilities beyond her years.
Gcinile is raising her five-month-old baby while also caring for her 16-year-old sibling after both children were forced to leave school due to difficult family circumstances. 
The family has been living in a fragile stick and mud shelter, with Gcinile explaining the challenges they face daily.
She said their father, who resides at kaMzilikazi in Siteki, provides some support by buying groceries and leaving them at a local shop for collection, but no longer stays with the family.
She further shared that she does not know the whereabouts of her baby’s father. The conditions deeply moved the Deputy Prime Minister, who said immediate action was needed to restore dignity and security to the children.
“No child deserves to grow up in these conditions. We cannot leave them like this,” Senator Dladla said before announcing that construction of a new home would begin the following day.
Officials accompanying the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed that building materials and a construction team would be mobilised immediately to ensure that the family receives a safe and dignified home.
MP Souza welcomed the swift response, saying he could not ignore what he had witnessed during his earlier visit to the homestead.
He said the intervention demonstrated the government’s commitment to supporting vulnerable children and responding to the needs of communities.
