A single mother residing in the Mitchells Plain area is urgently the community to support her in fulfilling a dream of turning an old vandalized house into a suitable home for her five kids. Speaking to VOC, Shehaam Jacobs, 41, said after the City of Cape Town gave her the go ahead to fix the place for herself, she immediately took the opportunity.
The council was planning to demolish the house after residents in the Lentegeur community signed a petition to rid the house of drug dealers who were frequenting there. “I instantly approached City official Dwayne Jacobs when I heard about this. I told him about my condition as a single mother, and this is when he told me to act as soon as possible.” Jacobs said the council promised her the damaged property if she was able to fix the home within the next few weeks.
“This is a very short period and therefore I need to go out and seek assistance to gather necessary items. I don’t want money from the public...all I want is for them is to donate material so that I can put a roof over my kid’s heads,” she urged. “It is hard being a single mother and the only breadwinner in the family, therefore I am forced to ask for help in order to make this a success."
The teary-eyed mother said people have already come forward to donate goods for the vandalized home. “I received a roof last week from my friend, who was able to help me cover half of the house. There are a lot of touch up’s that needs to be looked at on the house, which includes the doors, windows, walls and plumbing.”
She added that the whole house is covered in graffiti and badly damaged from a fire that broke out a few years ago. “I have already started to clear up around the house, clearing out all the rubbish and getting rid of flooded water. I asked the council how much they would charge to collect the packed bags of trash - but they responded with a huge price,” she said.
“I need to wait until I have money again to get rid of the dirt. However, it has caused quite a problem over the past few days.” Jacobs said many community members have already dumped their dirt in front of the property. “Not a lot of people know that we are planning to move in the house, and that’s why people are still using it as a dumping spot."
Jacobs said if her family is able to get sponsors to put a fence around the house than they are more than ready to move in. “I want the house to be closed up because once that is done then the drug dealers will stay away and we will have the right to prevent them from hanging around and dumping things here,” she said.
Jacobs said this is not the only problem she is faced with at the moment. The needy family is currently living in a one-bedroom home and the owners of the property want them gone by the end of October. “I am left with this duration to fix the house, and if it is not done by then, I don’t know where my kids are going to sleep. I don’t get paid much and sometimes my rent money is not enough because I need to see to my kid’s school fees as well as daily food for them to eat,” she explained.
It was also very hard for the children to go to school every day knowing the situation their mother was in. "At many times my youngest son asks me for money so that he can also buy him sweets and chips like his friends do. He is only nine years old and it hurts me knowing that I am not able to give him, when I’m faced with rent and food problems."
"I'm left in a situation that will affect my kids too. I only want the best for them, insha Allah. I am not asking for much and I am only doing this for my kid’s safety, but If there are any Muslim brother sand sisters who are able to help us then please do come forward.” If you would like to more about the family or would like to contribute towards the vandalized house, you can contact Shehaam Jacobs on 074 937 2719 or 074 020 9554. VOC (Aishah Cassiem)
The council was planning to demolish the house after residents in the Lentegeur community signed a petition to rid the house of drug dealers who were frequenting there. “I instantly approached City official Dwayne Jacobs when I heard about this. I told him about my condition as a single mother, and this is when he told me to act as soon as possible.” Jacobs said the council promised her the damaged property if she was able to fix the home within the next few weeks.
“This is a very short period and therefore I need to go out and seek assistance to gather necessary items. I don’t want money from the public...all I want is for them is to donate material so that I can put a roof over my kid’s heads,” she urged. “It is hard being a single mother and the only breadwinner in the family, therefore I am forced to ask for help in order to make this a success."
The teary-eyed mother said people have already come forward to donate goods for the vandalized home. “I received a roof last week from my friend, who was able to help me cover half of the house. There are a lot of touch up’s that needs to be looked at on the house, which includes the doors, windows, walls and plumbing.”
She added that the whole house is covered in graffiti and badly damaged from a fire that broke out a few years ago. “I have already started to clear up around the house, clearing out all the rubbish and getting rid of flooded water. I asked the council how much they would charge to collect the packed bags of trash - but they responded with a huge price,” she said.
“I need to wait until I have money again to get rid of the dirt. However, it has caused quite a problem over the past few days.” Jacobs said many community members have already dumped their dirt in front of the property. “Not a lot of people know that we are planning to move in the house, and that’s why people are still using it as a dumping spot."
Jacobs said if her family is able to get sponsors to put a fence around the house than they are more than ready to move in. “I want the house to be closed up because once that is done then the drug dealers will stay away and we will have the right to prevent them from hanging around and dumping things here,” she said.
Jacobs said this is not the only problem she is faced with at the moment. The needy family is currently living in a one-bedroom home and the owners of the property want them gone by the end of October. “I am left with this duration to fix the house, and if it is not done by then, I don’t know where my kids are going to sleep. I don’t get paid much and sometimes my rent money is not enough because I need to see to my kid’s school fees as well as daily food for them to eat,” she explained.
It was also very hard for the children to go to school every day knowing the situation their mother was in. "At many times my youngest son asks me for money so that he can also buy him sweets and chips like his friends do. He is only nine years old and it hurts me knowing that I am not able to give him, when I’m faced with rent and food problems."
"I'm left in a situation that will affect my kids too. I only want the best for them, insha Allah. I am not asking for much and I am only doing this for my kid’s safety, but If there are any Muslim brother sand sisters who are able to help us then please do come forward.” If you would like to more about the family or would like to contribute towards the vandalized house, you can contact Shehaam Jacobs on 074 937 2719 or 074 020 9554. VOC (Aishah Cassiem)
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