SASSA Pensioner Builds Her Own House. A 67-year-old pensioner in South Africa’s Eastern Cape has taken matters into her own hands after waiting years for the government to complete a promised house. Nomondo Mboyi used her old-age grant to purchase building materials and pay workers, constructing her own mud-brick home while the government-funded housing project remained unfinished.
Pensioner Builds Her Own Home
- Nomondo Mboyi lost two mud houses during severe winds and heavy rainfall that affected the Mbizana region in 2019. Her remaining house, made from sticks and mud, was also in poor condition, with a leaking roof and damaged walls.
- In 2023, the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements appointed ZIBSIPRO (Pty) Ltd to construct 200 replacement houses for families affected by the storms. The project was valued at approximately R34 million, amounting to around R170,000 per house.
- However, according to the report, none of the houses had been completed by the time of publication.
- Rather than continue waiting, Mboyi decided to build a home herself. She made mud bricks and used her monthly SASSA old-age grant to purchase materials and cover labour costs.
- She explained that the process was slow because she needed to save money for several months before she could afford to continue construction.
- While the government-funded house on her property has only a foundation and partially completed walls, her self-built home is approaching completion. She hopes to finish the remaining work and move into the house in December.
The house still requires exterior plastering and a few final improvements. Electricity installation has also been delayed because the building is not yet waterproof.
Government Housing Project Remains Incomplete
Mboyi is among hundreds of households affected by the severe weather experienced in the Mbizana region in 2019. Many residents have continued living in difficult conditions while waiting for replacement houses.
- In her village of Ndakeni, several government-funded houses remain unfinished, with construction work largely abandoned.
- Mboyi said that when the contractor began laying the foundation for her government-funded house, she had already started building the walls of her own two-room home.
- Residents reportedly attended a meeting with the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality in February 2026, where they offered to complete the houses themselves. However, they were instructed to wait.
- Since then, residents say they have received little explanation about when construction will resume.
- Community leader Nontokozo Nyombo said many beneficiaries depend primarily on social grants and urgently need proper housing. She also expressed frustration over the lack of clear communication from local authorities.
- According to residents, the contractor left the construction sites in November 2025, promising to return. However, the work had not resumed by the time the report was published.
Some construction equipment remains in the village under the supervision of a security guard.
Department Terminates Contractor’s Contract
The Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements confirmed that it had terminated ZIBSIPRO’s contract during the 2025/26 financial year because of poor performance.
Department spokesperson Yanga Funani said officials planned to reinstate the housing project. Houses where construction had already started would receive priority, while work on houses that had not yet begun would depend on the availability of funding.
The department’s response offers some hope to affected residents, although no specific completion date was provided in the report.
Contractor Disputes the Termination
- ZIBSIPRO director Palesa Phara said she was unaware that the department had formally terminated the contract. She argued that outstanding payments had made it financially impossible for the company to continue working.
- Phara acknowledged receiving a letter of default from the department. She also said the company attempted to transfer the work to a subcontractor, but the proposal was verbally rejected.
- According to Phara, ZIBSIPRO was appointed in September 2023 but received its formal contract only towards the end of November that year. She said construction was further delayed by technical investigations, soil assessments, engineering approvals and requirements from the National Home Builders Registration Council.
- She also described the foundation design as excessively engineered, requiring the company to hire another engineer to redesign it.
- Phara said construction effectively began around October 2024. Working across 34 villages and dealing with heavy rainfall created additional logistical difficulties.
Payment Problems and Financial Pressure
Phara further alleged that the department instructed the company verbally to slow construction because funding was insufficient.
She claimed that payment arrangements changed from payments at agreed construction milestones to payments only after completing individual houses. According to her, this required the company to continue purchasing materials and paying workers without receiving payments at the same pace.
She said site operations eventually became unsafe and access was restricted amid unresolved labour disputes and outstanding payments.
Some company equipment reportedly remains at the sites, creating continuing storage and security costs.
The department did not respond to the contractor’s allegations, while the municipality referred questions back to the department.
Conclusion
Nomondo Mboyi’s experience highlights the challenges facing storm-affected families waiting for government housing in the Eastern Cape. By using her SASSA old-age grant and making her own building materials, she has managed to bring her home closer to completion while the official project remains stalled.
Although the department says it intends to restart construction, residents still need clear communication and a realistic timeline. For families living in unsafe or inadequate homes, completing the promised houses remains an urgent priority.
