By Buziwe Nocuze
Police and volunteers put a smile on 72-year-old Funeka Wowo’s face by cleaning her RDP home after she reported that she was getting abused by her grandkids.
Constable Natalia Jibilikile from the Philippi SAPS met the old lady when she came to report that her grandchildren were abusing her.
“She visited the police station more than once,” said Jibilikile. “We tried to solve the issue of her grandchildren using all her pension grant money by getting a social worker to help her.”
Gogo Wowo told Scrolla.Africa that Constable Jibilikile told her that “one day she would come to clean my two-roomed RDP house”.
“I didn’t believe her because no one ever did anything good for me and I know the police officers are busy. I was shocked and happy when she arrived with other people.”
She joked and said after they finished cleaning her house she couldn’t recognise it.
“It looked new and fresh. It feels good knowing that there are people out there who love you even though they are not related to you.”
After Gogo Wowo visited the police station, Jibilikile decided to visit her once a week.
“I wanted to make sure that she was safe. The involvement of a social worker helped because they get her money and then give it all to her. We go with her to buy food every month,” said Jibilikile.
While visiting Gogo Wowo, Jibilikile realised she needed help cleaning her house.
Jibilikile arranged for that by persuading some fellow police officers to help her together with volunteers from the library at Breaking Beliefs, and Chrysalis Academy students.
“I couldn’t ignore the fact that her house needed to be cleaned. Under this uniform, we are human beings who have mothers and grandmothers,” said Jibilikile, who used her own money to buy the cleaning equipment.
“We will continue visiting her and cleaning her house. Some of the people I have worked with on this also fixed her washing machine which was not working anymore,” said Jibilikile.
Pictured above: Philippi East SAPS members, library staff, and students from Chrysalis Academy cleaned an old lady’s two-roomed RDP house.
Source: Supplied
