A 16-YEAR-OLD orphan from Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, and her older brother can now look forward to a brighter future after they received the keys to a new house yesterday.
Lettie Kwinda and her 19-year-old brother Frans Mulaudzi received the keys from Gauteng MEC for local government and housing Humphrey Mmemezi.
This was after the department, in partnership with contractors who had previously done work for the department, built houses for 16 child-headed families.
Mulaudzi had to quit school last year to support and educate his sister after their father and mother died in 2004 and 2009 respectively.
"I dropped out in Grade 10 because I had to find ways to support ourselves and help Lettie finish school.
"I sell airtime and other things in order to put food on the table," said Mulaudzi.
"I am so happy. Life has been very hard since our parents died.
"Some people have helped us in the past but this house will definitely change everything," said Kwinda.
"I will now be able to study and do my homework. We also have electricity."
Six houses will be handed over to child-headed households this year as part of the department's 16 Days of Activism of "no violence against women and children", said Mmemezi.
"This is the gift of your life. You will never get another free house again. Do not sit and relax. You are able-bodied and have healthy minds.
"Do something with your life and make life work for you.
Do not wait for the government to do things for you. A house is a basic unit of a community and society.
"Keep peace in your new house and use it to plan a better future for yourselves.
"Now that you have a home, you can start building values and morals."
Dionne Silinda, of DR Bongani Investments, who sponsored the R250000 house - which includes basic furniture, running water and electricity - said she was happy to have been able to provide a better tomorrow for the two orphans.
"As a 100% women-owned company, and as mothers ourselves, we felt we had to help these children to have a better tomorrow," she said.