SAPS housing legacy project changes the Gare family life

The South African Police Services (SAPS) Housing Legacy Project officially handed keys of a fully furnished two bedroom house to the destitute Gare family in Ga-Komape in Moletjie. The legacy project aims at ensuring that disadvantaged families have houses to call home especially child headed households and the elderly.

The handover that was held on the 26th of November 2024 about 40km outside Polokwane town was attended by Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba, the Provincial Commissioner Lt-General Thembi Hadebe and Kgoshi Kgabo Moloto III.

The family was identified by Seshego Social Crime Prevention unit in 2022 as one of families that needed to benefit from the Legacy Project to reaffirm values that unites communities.

A family of 10, headed by the elder 29-year sibling Kgabo Gare had to endure the pain of living in a zinc shark after their mother died from cervical cancer in 2021 and only lived for less than 8 months of being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

Being raised by a single parent, Kgabo had to quickly grow up to become a mother to her siblings and filled her mother’s shoes of taking over parenting hood responsibilities and become strong for her siblings without properly mourning for her mother.

“When SAPS visited us, it was during my midyear examinations, it was raining and our home was filled with water, I had to put my siblings on top of the table while I was clearing water with buckets. I did not sleep and the following day I had an exam to write” elaborated Kgabo

These are some of the hardships the family had to experience before the men and women in blue went beyond the call of duty to make a difference in the lives of ordinary communities by changing their living circumstances.

Working together with department of Correctional Services, about 15 parolees who had construction skills were identified to work on the project. Amongst them was a 39-year-old Matome William Sekgopo who served 8 years incarcerated for robbery at Kutama Sinthumule Correctional Centre.

Matome was arrested and sentenced in 2015 after pleading guilty to his crimes, that he committed in Moletjie and surrounding areas. As part of rehabilitation, Sekgopo participated in skills development programs offered by the department of correctional service for inmates. He qualified in carpentry, architecture and electrical engineering.

“When I got a call from Community Corrections Officer, I was elated because I wanted to serve my Moletjie community to show my remorse. I have terrorised the community and ensuring that Kgabo and her family get a home was one of the elements that I am being integrated back to my community with trust without being reminded of my past and called by inappropriate names” explained Sekgopo

He started by designing the house structure which got approved by relevant personnel. He also got involved in building the structure, electrifying and carpentry which took the team 14 months to complete the project for habitation.

The house was constructed in two phases with two rooms being completed in December 2023 to allow the family to enjoy Christmas time in a new house while awaiting sponsors to donate material to build the last phase.

The SAPS Legacy Project has already built two houses in Vhembe and Capricorn Districts since 2023, making the Gare family the third one with intention of covering all the districts with more than five houses to the needy families.