New hope for elderly couple, son living in school toilet

For 33 years, the Mophunya family in Soweto lived in a tiny room that used to be a school toilet.

The room measures about 8 metres in length and 6 metres wide with a curtain in the middle that separates the kitchen from the sleeping area that can fit only one double bed.

The family of three has endured these dehumanising conditions since turning the old school toilet at Basani primary in Chiawelo into a single-room home.

This is the life Abiel Mophunya 83, his wife Agnes,73, and their sick son Tebogo, 29, go through daily since before the dawn of democracy. “The worst part of our daily living is when one of us takes a bath; others must wait outside in the cold... It is a bit better during the summer season,” said Agnes.

Abiel Mophunya and Mahobo Agnes Mophunya they have been living at the Basani Primary school toilets for more than 30 years, with their 30 year old son. (Veli Nhlapo)

The family moved into the school in 1991 after the owner of a house they occupied in Protea South asked them to leave.

"A friend of mine who was working at Basani said he was going to speak to the principal at that time to allow us to stay in the unused old toilets," said Abiel.

The family uses the old toilet structure, which has a functional water tap at the back. They use the school's electricity which they access from the storeroom.

But things have changed. After getting used to one restriction not to walk about during school hours, the school has now ordered the poor family to vacate their home. But they have nowhere to go.

Their son was born in 1994, the year of SA’s first democratic elections. The family's applications for an RDP house since 1996 have yielded no joy. They later discovered their state-issued home was occupied by another person.

Abiel said after numerous visits to the department of human settlements, they advised him to withdraw his initial application and reapply.

Departmental spokesperson Tahir Sema said Abiel drafted an affidavit to withdraw his application. He added that the department had been consulting with the family since last week to help them get a house.

"Due to his age and the time [since] he made his first application, the department can confirm that the applicant falls in the category of people that will be prioritised for allocation. "The department prioritises the elderly, people living with disabilities and child-headed households for allocation,” said Sema.