The construction of one of the largest affordable housing projects implemented by the Western Cape Government has officially started at the Welmoed Estate complex, located in Eerste River. Provincial Infrastructure Minister Tertius Simmers attended the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday.
As early as last August, Simmers and department staff conducted a series of public meetings with residents of Ward 14. During these meetings, they discussed community issues, answered questions, and provided information on the project's progress before its launch.
Subsequently, the Western Cape Infrastructure Department organized two beneficiary verification events, allowing recipients from the housing demand database to update their information. A total of 6,253 beneficiaries visited verification centers in the areas of Mfuleni, Stratford, Blackheath, Kalkfontein, and Hillcrest.
Simmers noted that this successful day was made possible by the joint efforts of the residents and the Western Cape Government, emphasizing that such achievements are reached through partnership.
The first phase of the project, scheduled for completion in 2030, will provide 3,296 residential units. Of these, 2,961 houses are designated for affordable housing (including first-time home financing, rentals, Breaking New Ground programs, and deferred ownership), while 380 are for micro and private developers. The first homes are planned to be handed over to residents by the end of next year.
The overall Welmoed project, valued at 1.2 billion rand, will provide 8,000 housing opportunities by 2040. The complex includes two retail outlets in the commercial hub, four public areas with a clinic and sports complex, and five school sites.
In addition to providing housing, this project will contribute to the development of the local economy and job creation during the construction phase. Simmers expressed delight at the start of work on the project, which is shaping a new space of opportunity, and expressed hope to monitor its development and hand over the first keys to the beneficiaries.
The long-running legal case concerning alleged discrimination between the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) and a former employee is approaching its conclusion. Legal arguments will determine whether she was subjected to unfair discrimination and wrongful termination.
The former Food and Beverage Department administrator, Magosi Letimile, challenges CTICC's actions regarding her treatment during employment and the termination of her contract for operational reasons in April 2021.
Letimile, who uses a wheelchair, claimed that she faced direct and indirect discrimination due to her disability, as well as intersecting grounds of race and gender.
Her case also involves allegations of automatically unfair dismissal, procedural and substantive unfairness during redundancy, and violation of her constitutional rights.
According to court documents, Letimile was continuously employed by CTICC from August 2019 to April 2021. She was hired under an initiative aimed at candidates with disabilities, and she was promised training and support for returning to work after developing a disability.
However, she stated that CTICC failed to provide the promised training, suitable equipment, and reasonable accommodation necessary for her to perform her duties independently.
Documents assert that the work environment became hostile, and Letimile experienced harassment, exclusion, and lack of understanding from managers and leadership. She claimed this attitude persisted throughout her employment and later extended to the termination process.
Among the issues raised was the equipment required of her in the food and beverage department. Letimile claims that the label cutter intended for her duties could not operate effectively while seated, as it required significant downward pressure. She allegedly had to rely on the help of other staff or manually cut hundreds of labels with scissors, sometimes having to work after hours.
Although a label cutter suitable for use in a wheelchair was eventually provided, Letimile claims it subsequently disappeared and was not replaced. Her court filings also detailed disputes regarding flexible working hours, transportation solutions, and the impact of power outages on her ability to enter or exit her eighth-floor apartment.
Letimile stated that she depended on the elevator and could not leave the building during power outages. On one occasion, she said, she was trapped in the elevator and required physical assistance to be rescued, leaving her stressed and in pain.
She also claimed that requests to make up for working hours on weekends were denied, despite other employees being allowed to work on weekends. Additional accusations concern her health and co-morbidities related to Covid-19.
Letimile asserted that she was forced to attend personal meetings regarding her dismissal despite expressing concerns about the health risks she faced as a disabled and immunocompromised employee. She also claimed that CTICC applied the same Covid-19 protocols to her as to other employees, disregarding her individual medical circumstances.
According to the documents, Letimile's position was not initially designated as redundant. However, another employee whose position was allegedly made redundant requested to take her place under the 'last in, first out' (LIFO) principle. Letimile argues that this employee was a healthy man with approximately a month more seniority and qualifications unrelated to her role.
She contended that CTICC failed to consider that applying the LIFO principle and replacement could disproportionately harm disabled employees who were recently hired through targeted recruitment programs. Her documents argue that applying LIFO without considering disability and equal employment opportunities can perpetuate the historical exclusion of people with disabilities from the workforce.
She maintained that the selection process resulted in her being dismissed from a position specifically suited for her, which was then filled by a healthy employee. Letimile believes this made her dismissal automatically unfair due to disability and substantively unfair.
The matter was initially referred to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration in May 2021. After the parties failed to resolve the dispute through conciliation, a certificate of outcome was issued in June 2021, and the dispute was transferred to the Labour Court as an alleged automatically unfair dismissal due to disability.
Letimile is seeking R500,000 in non-pecuniary damages for alleged pain, suffering, humiliation, trauma, and violation of her dignity. She is also claiming compensation equivalent to 24 months' salary for the alleged automatically unfair dismissal, as well as compensation for lost training and career advancement opportunities.
Furthermore, she requests R1 million in constitutional compensation for the alleged violation of her rights to dignity, bodily and psychological integrity, freedom of expression, and freedom of association. She also seeks coverage of legal costs and interest on any awarded sum.
CTICC's representative, Olivia Bruce, stated that the case remains before the Labour Court. Bruce noted: 'The case is currently before the Labour Court, and CTICC respects the judicial process, which is not yet concluded.' She emphasized that all allegations outlined in Letimile's court documents are yet to be verified and determined by the Labour Court.
Sixteen-year-old Iqbal Sheikh from Beldanga, Murshidabad, has become a subject of discussion due to his unusual lifestyle. He spends time in the water not for one or two days, but constantly, sometimes up to seven days in a row.
Local residents note that for him, water is not just a source of life, but life itself. According to locals, for the past five years, Iqbal has left home and spends day and night in the water of the ponds in Beldanga city.
He claims this is not related to any hobby or attempt to set a record. Iqbal states that his body constantly feels a burning sensation. He believes that a jinn, fairy, or some invisible force is affecting him.
As soon as he gets out of the water, he experiences severe burning in his body, whereas in the water, he feels relief. Due to prolonged exposure to water, the skin on his hands, feet, and entire body has turned white. Furthermore, long periods in the water have caused him to catch a cold and cough.
Iqbal reported seeking treatment at the local primary medical center but did not receive adequate care. His family cannot afford treatment at a private hospital due to financial difficulties.
Nevertheless, local residents are beginning to show concern for his treatment. A large number of schoolchildren and ordinary people gather daily by the pond to watch him. Many give him sweets, such as chidu and biscuits, but no one can keep him at home.
This unusual situation is causing growing anxiety among local residents, who wonder how long he can continue living this way. The story of sixteen-year-old Iqbal has become a topic of curiosity and discussion throughout the district.
The story of Shivacharan Ratan Gupta, which took place in a nursing home in Sonipet, shocked society. The incident, related to his daughters not attending his final farewell after his death, raised many questions. Simultaneously, the pain of other elderly people living in the same facility also became apparent. Some of them accused their sons of physical violence, while others stated that their son did not want to support them together, despite them having millions of rupees.
After Shivacharan Ratan Gupta's story became known, the former head of Bohla village in Gohana district shared her personal experience. She recounted that she was once the head of the village and made important decisions in the council. However, circumstances now force her to leave her own home and live in a nursing home. The former head claims that her sons beat her, which prompted her to decide to leave home. She added that her sons no longer speak to her, although her brother and sister continue to visit and check on her condition.
She noted that she used to solve problems for the entire village, but today she is experiencing the pain of neglect from her own family. The story of another elderly woman living in the nursing home is equally touching. She reported that she married twice, and both husbands passed away. She has accumulated about 40 lakh rupees in savings.
The woman accused her son of not wanting to support her because of greed for money, which forced her to seek help at the nursing home. Despite the coldness from her relatives, she held no resentment towards her son; she stated that all her property would go to him after her death.
Shivacharan Ratan Gupta's story deeply touched people, and the accounts of other elderly people in the nursing home also demonstrate the changing nature of relationships. Some are forced to live in a facility, separated from their relatives, while others came here due to the behavior of their own families. A common thread emerges in all these stories: many elderly people are forced to spend their final years in a nursing home rather than in the company of their family.
