The Department of Social Development (DSD) has intervened to prevent an older person and her two grandchildren from becoming homeless after their house collapsed during heavy rains in Acornhoek, Mpumalanga.
Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks, who holds the delegation for older persons, was sent to the province following reports that the elderly person, who heads a household of five, had lost her home.
House collapse
According to the department, the family’s house collapsed during heavy rainfall in Acornhoek.
“Fortunately, no one was at home at the time of the incident,” the DSD said.
However, it noted that “most household contents and the family’s possessions remain trapped under the rubble”.
Hendricks conducted a site visit on 30 January 2026, where he assessed the damage.
The department said the deputy minister was “moved by the condition of the household items that had been retrieved from the debris”.
ALSO READ: Ekurhuleni MMC Andile Mngwevu’s remains found in Mozambique
Emergency shelter provided
To provide immediate relief, Hendricks sourced “an eight-sleeper heavy-duty army tent, fully equipped with double bunks, mattresses, blankets, pillows, a fire extinguisher and a wash basin”.
The department said Hendricks reached out to the Chinese Embassy for support.
“Hendricks contacted the Chinese Embassy for assistance, which kindly covered the cost of the tent and its contents,” the department said.
In addition to the tent provided to the family, the department said further assistance is being mobilised.
“Five additional fully fitted tents have been sourced by other donors,” it said, adding that Hendricks “aims to reach a total of 100 tents for families affected by the recent floods”.
ALSO READ: No tenders for pals in the aftermath of floods, warn political parties
Dignity and family unity
Hendricks said the intervention ensured the family could remain together. “We are pleased that the granny can now have all the children she cares for living with her,” he said.
He noted that the tent was erected on land previously used to grow food.
“The tent has taken up space previously used for her vegetable garden, and we hope that an alternative area will soon be identified so she can continue gardening,” Hendricks said.
He added that tented accommodation offers greater dignity for families.
“The living arrangements in tents for families take temporary relief to a new level, especially as many families feel uncomfortable staying in municipal halls, which affect privacy and, in some cases, separate families,” Hendricks said.
NOW READ: Limpopo flood death toll rises as search operations continue
About the Author
