
Maria Nyathi, a 54-year-old woman from Mahale village in Selwane, Phalaborwa, has been left to pick up the pieces of her shattered life after a devastating storm destroyed her home in late October or early November last year.
Despite appeals from the community and local publications for assistance, Maria remains homeless and without support.
In a shocking display of neglect, officials from the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality have failed to visit Maria and assess the damage, instead prioritising aid for others affected by the storm. At the time of the incident, Maria was living with her high school-aged daughter, who struggled to study amidst the chaos.
To add insult to injury, the municipality has not provided Maria with basic necessities like food parcels or temporary shelter, leaving her to face the harsh realities of homelessness alone.