CECILIA Kloppers, 74, from Beacon Valley in Mitchells Plain is in need of your help to fix a stukkende wall in her home.
In a story published by the Daily Voice on Monday, 30 June (Beacon of no Hope), Kloppers explained that she feared her council home would cave in because of the cracks in the wall.
Kloppers explained that she had tried to get the City of Cape Town to fix the wall, but she had no luck.
There has been some movement in the case since, with Councillor Carl Pophaim, Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, explaining that the property is externally insured by the City.
However, Kloppers’s insurance claim was rejected as an independent assessment revealed that the damage was not an insured event.
Pophaim explained: “This is a City-owned delayed transfer property in respect of which a deed of sale was concluded and transfer of ownership is pending.
“The purchasers are thus considered the de facto property owners and are responsible for the upkeep of the property. The property is externally insured by the City however the resident’s insurance claim was unfortunately rejected as an independent assessment revealed that the damage was not an insured event.
“The resident has various options available as indicated by the insurance company. These include a three step complaint system to have the decision reviewed and taking legal action.”
Kloppers, who suffers from arthritis and has to wear nappies, has since moved out of the home and is now reaching out to Daily Voice readers to help her fix the wall.
She said that due to the cracked wall the cold wind has been seeping through, she had to move out and now lives with her daughter in Ottery but the family is looking to fix the house themselves.
"I live with my daughter now, I can’t sleep in that room because I am affected the worst. That room is cold and my health is deteriorating because I am so stressed out,” she said.
“I even wanted to sell that house because I don’t know what to do anymore. It is a council house and they are responsible for the house because I pay them money every month for insurance.”
Kloppers’s nephew Jermaine Martin said that he has no other choice than to step in and help his aunt, explaining: “My aunt has cried to me not knowing what to do anymore but I assured her that we will fix it.
“It is a wall that needs to be fixed so it won’t take that long and we will find professional builders to fix the wall including the foundation so that my aunt can move back home.”
The family are appealing for assistance with bricks, sand or cement to please contact 078 5155 286 or email [email protected].