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An asbestos roofed house in Dihlabeng, Free State, on November 12, 2020. The dangerous roof was supposed to be replaced in 2014, but to date that has not happened even though the money has come out of the Settlements department Humans of the Free State. Photo: Felix Dlangamandla
Nthabiseng Ligelebane has lived in her family’s home in Dihlabeng, Free State, for 58 years, but only recently realized that the asbestos roof of the home was a danger to her health.
Like other residents of the area, Nthabiseng Ligelebane was ignorant of the fact that the roof of his family’s house was made of asbestos, even though he had experienced lung problems from time to time.
“I have never known another home than this. My brothers and I grew up here. I raised my children here and today they are raising their children under the same roof that I have called home all my life, ”said Ligelebane.
Only after an arrest warrant was issued against ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule on November 10 did Ligelebane learn of the dangers of asbestos roofs.
In 2014, the Free State Department of Human Settlements (FSHS) embarked on a project to identify and replace asbestos roofs in the province.
Gauteng-based Blackhead Consulting, owned by controversial businessman Edwin Sodi, and Igo Mpambani’s Diamond Hill Trading, secured a R255 million contract to do the work. Mpambani has since been assassinated.
The joint venture identified 36,000 asbestos roofs in the province that needed to be replaced. Despite the millions that were paid out of the provincial coffers, no roofs were replaced.
Public Protector confirms over R200m wasted in Free State asbestos audit
It is these neighbors who today suffer the consequences of this alleged corruption.
“We all cough. It is normal for us. But it never occurred to me that the ceiling could be the culprit. Could it be the ceiling? asked a puzzled Ligelebane.
While Ligelebane has not been diagnosed with asbestosis, the Mayo Clinic description of the disease matches her and her family’s symptoms.
The Mayo Clinic describes asbestosis as a chronic lung disease caused by breathing in asbestos fibers. Long-term exposure to these fibers can cause scarring of lung tissue and difficulty breathing. Symptoms of asbestosis can range from mild to severe and usually do not appear until many years after continuous exposure.
Ligelebane lives with her two adult children and four grandchildren in a three-bedroom house. Apartheid-era house inherited from his parents, who have since passed away.
“My legs make my work difficult but I want to finish renovating the house and then I will retire,” he said, pointing to his newly installed apartment.
“I told my children that now it is their turn to work for me.”
While a team of Daily maverick Navigating the small rural township and trying to interact with residents, her fear of speaking publicly was palpable.
“What happens if my house goes up for sale after taking a picture?” asked a resident. “I can’t take that risk.”
Seal Ramokhufe, 33, is renting a house in Dihlabeng and says that the room he sleeps in smells like mold.
“The smell comes out mainly at night. Sometimes I would swear the roof has water on it, or at least it’s damp, ”he said.
Ramokhufe, a native of Pretoria, moved to the province for work reasons. He previously rented another house in the area, also with an asbestos roof, and his experience was similar.
“These houses are old. They need renovations… they are no longer safe or worthy for anyone, ”he added.
As was the case in Ligelebane, Ramokhufe, an active member of the ANC in the region, had never heard of the project to replace asbestos roofs.
“This is a small town and news travels fast, so I would have known if there were people inspecting the houses to replace the roofs,” he said.
And so it continued with every knock on people’s doorsteps: the asbestos project made headlines in Dihlabeng.
Daily maverick’s investigative journalism unit, Scorpion, exposed how the 255 million rand contract was used instead to finance the luxurious lives once enjoyed by high-flying entrepreneurs Edwin Sodi and Igo Mpambani.
On Friday, November 13, Ace Magashule appeared in Bloemfontein Magistrates Court with seven other government officials and businessmen accused of conspiring in the allegedly corrupt Free State asbestos project.
Magashule faces multiple counts of alleged violations stipulated in the Law on Prevention and Fight against Corrupt Activities (Precca), among other laws related to corruption. DM
