A 75-year-old woman who lost both her legs, three children and recently her home, will soon sleep warm thanks to the help of a good Samaritan.
In just a few days, Mina Smit will be moving into a brand-new house thanks to community activists Dawn Roode and Lynn Maasdorp, 31.
Mina’s home burnt down in Elmarie Street, Kalksteenfontein, in March.
The mom of four now sleeps on a tiny couch in little shack in Chris Hani Street that barely has room for her wheelchair.
Lynn, family and friends from a travel club then decided to raise funds for Mina, and recently purchased a Nutec house for her.
Lynn says: “Dawn spoke of ouma [Mina] at a memorial and I couldn’t sleep that night thinking of her and I got my friends involved from the club and family and we raised funds.”
They are now preparing the foundation and want to move Mina in on July 18, in celebration of Mandela Day.
The new house will also be made wheelchair-friendly for Mina.
Mina had been at an event at their community hall when she saw that her home was burning.
“My entire house burnt down and I lost everything. We do not know what the cause was,” she says.
Mina says she lost her legs years before due to an illness, which doctors still can’t explain.
Two of her children died due to illness, while one was murdered, and one is still alive.
Dawn adds: “By next week she will have a house and she will be sleeping in a warm bed but she still needs a lot.”