Honour for man who used his R1.3m RAF payment to bring water to his village

The Mpumalanga man who used R1,3m from his Road Accident Fund (RAF) payout to supply his village with running water, will be honoured for his act of selflessness.   

Mlungisi Maseko, 43, from Mooiplaas village in the Chief Albert Luthuli municipality, will be honoured at the inaugural Mzansi Men of Influence Awards to take place in Pretoria on Friday.

The awards, which are being sponsored by the national arts and culture department, recognise and honour outstanding men who have made significant contributions in various fields, enhancing their visibility and influence.  

Maseko's act of kindness was highlighted in the Sowetan last year when we visited his village where he had connected over 100 houses to a water supply system linked to a local stream. 

He bought water tanks, pipes and other equipment, hired people who linked the pipes to the stream and channelled the water to the houses at the bottom of the mountain. This project ended 15 years of suffering for Maseko and his fellow villagers, after the municipality claimed it did not have the money to provide the  villagers with running water. The project cost Maseko R1.3m and he became a hero to the locals.

He sacrificed the cash from his R3m payout he received from RAF after surviving a car accident which injured his legs. 

Larry Matlala, founder of the awards, told Sowetan that Maseko's story touched him and many other people. 

“Maseko's story touched many hearts when it was published in the Sowetan. It told a story of a selfless man from a tiny village who placed the needs of the community in his heart. His [RAF] payout didn't change his heart and made him selfish. We want to celebrate such men in the country. We know there are many men doing lots of amazing things and Maseko cannot be left out of the celebration dedicated to such men,” Matlala said.

He said Maseko will be collected in style from his village and taken to Gauteng for the celebrations.

“We have already spoken to him. We were doing fittings for a suit.  He's going to be picked up from his home  and be driven to his hotel where he's also going to have his hair cut by professional barbers who are some of our sponsors. We want to celebrate him and make him see that what he has done is amazing,” Matlala added.

Maseko could not hide his joy when he spoke to Sowetan.

“I'm very happy. Larry (Matlala) have called and confirmed everything. I'm not even worried about suits because one for the night is being prepared for me; measurements have been taken,” an excited Maseko said.

“What makes me happy is that I'm going to be celebrated by big people on TV, whereas at home my own government [Luthuli municipality] hasn't done so. I'm going to cherish this forever. “

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