A leaking roof in a dilapidated house is now a thing of the past for Gogo Elizabeth Nkosi after Cllr David Tembe and the management of South African Breweries (SAB) handed over a refurbished home to her and her family in Zola, Soweto.

​Gogo Elizabeth could not contain her excitement as Cllr Tembe, the MMC for Public Safety, flanked by the Chairperson of the Housing Section 79 Committee, Cllr Alex Christians, and other municipal officials, handed over the keys to the newly spruced house.

Besides the refurbished roof, Gogo Elizabeth’s home has been repainted and kitted with spanking new flooring tiles, a ceiling, including new plumbing and eaves gutters.

“If I still had the energy to dance, I was going to stand up and dance. I don’t even know where to start, I am happy and thank you very much for making my house this beautiful,” Gogo Elizabeth told Cllr Tembe.

Gogo Elizabeth had spent the last 20 years living in a small and derelict house with her grandchildren, whom she supported with a government grant.

On Monday, 18 July, Nelson Mandela International Day, a hands-on Cllr Tembe and his Public Safety team spent more than 67 minutes painting Gogo Elizabeth’s house and installing a new roof to replace the leaking one. The MMC had promised to return to inspect the quality of work done on the property after a few weeks.

At the handover ceremony, MMC Tembe said the initiative to repair Gogo Elizabeth’s house was his department’s responsibility, which is accountable for ensuring the mayoral priority of making Johannesburg a safe environment is realised.

“Gogo Elizabeth didn’t have a gate and we realised that her life was in danger as people came in and out as they pleased, so we have installed a new safety gate that she can lock anytime she wants,” Cllr Tembe said.

SAB said its partnership with the JMPD had sparked them into action for Gogo Elizabeth.

“As part of our efforts to promote responsible drinking, we have a partnership with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) to deliver alcohol evidence centres. This is one of the ways we can contribute positively to the communities in which we operate.”