BLA continues to show support to KZN flood victims

December 20th, 2022
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Black Lawyers Association’s (BLA) National Executive Council and the BLA’s KwaZulu-Natal branch visited the Ntshongweni community to donate food and home items after families lost their homes during the floods in April 2022.

On 22 October 2022, the Black Lawyers Association (BLA) visited the community of Ntshongweni  in KwaZulu-Natal as part of their outreach drive to support the victims and families displaced by the flooding that took place in April 2022. Families who lost their homes and other possessions were moved into a community hall. After many months of struggling, the BLA answered the call for help after social worker, Samkelo Xulu, reached out for assistance. The Deputy President of the BLA, Mabaeng Denise Lenyai, at the celebratory dinner held the previous evening for Chief Justice Raymond Zondo (see Kgomtoso Ramotsho ‘Black Lawyers Association KwaZulu-Natal branch celebrates Chief Justice Zondo’ 2022 DR), announced that the BLA had wanted to do all they can to help the victims of the KwaZulu-Natal floods and donated goods and vouchers to the displaced families to the value of R 500 000. The organisation not only donated goods worth R 500 000, but one of the BLA sponsors, Tsebo Actuaries, added to the donation by donating school shoes to three schools in the area and gave each family a store voucher of R 2 000 each.

Chairperson of the Black Lawyers Association’s (BLA) KwaZulu-Natal branch, Nonduduzo Khanyile, opening the programme where the BLA went to donate to the victims of floods in that province.

The BLA KwaZulu-Natal branch Chairperson, Nonduduzo Khanyile, said that the reason the organisation donated to the community was that, despite having their big jobs as legal practitioners, they did not forget where they come from. ‘We are here to help you, we are not saying this is going to change your lives in a big way, however, we are here to cry with you after what you have gone through,’ Ms Khanyile said.

Ms Khanyile said the donation might not be much, but the BLA understands that when the time comes for the families who are accommodated at the community hall, to find new homes, they must have something to start afresh making those houses a home.

Ms Khanyile told the families that each family in the hall will receive from the BLA, the following –

  • mattresses;
  • food;
  • gas and a gas stove;
  • an iron;
  • a kettle;
  • pots;
  • plates;
  • toilet paper;
  • linoleum flooring; and
  • blankets.

Chairperson of the Black Lawyers Association’s (BLA) KwaZulu-Natal branch, Nonduduzo Khanyile, pointing out the donations that the families will receive from the BLA.

A representative of the community thanked the BLA and said that although social workers did their best to help members of the community who are still housed at the hall, as time went on, they could not assist anymore. She added that they had lost hope and did not think anyone would come to the community’s rescue, to lend a helping hand. She told members of the community that the ward councillor in that area is trying – by all means – to move the families who are still living in the community hall to a place where they can find proper accommodation by December. She said that the families should remain hopeful that they will not spend Christmas in a hall.

President of the Black Lawyers Association, Bayethe Maswazi, during the visit to Ntshongweni in KwaZulu-Natal.

The President of the BLA, Bayethe Maswazi, said one of the aims of the BLA is to protect the marginalised and to plant hope. ‘We want that should one want to be a legal practitioner tomorrow; floods do not change that. Whoever wants to be a president; floods do not change that,’ Mr Maswazi said. He added that he was thankful that the BLA could be there for the people. ‘We are the BLA, and you will forever know that there is an organisation called the BLA and they help where they can’.

Kgomotso Ramotsho Cert Journ (Boston) Cert Photography (Vega) is the news reporter at De Rebus.

 

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