In June 2005, Alice and Cecil finally moved into their own home at 24144 Labohemie (Maroela) Street, Wallacedene. Her life now is ‘indescribably’ different to that of living in a shack.
Alice Buka is a separate mother with one son. She is 55 years old. Her son, Cecil Buka is 22 years old and is mentally challenged.
Alice relates that her husband had left her and her son to fend for themselves. He then returned promising to support the family again. She was so elated that she welcomed him back. After 4 days he again disappeared, this time for good.
She started developing recurring incidents of ill-health and was diagnosed to have been infected with HIV with her husband’s last visit. Alice is unemployed and relies of the disability grant that she now receives. Currently she is on ARV’s.
Alice recall’s how difficult life was whilst living in a shack as she had no financial support of physical assistance with the shack structure. As she could not physically secure a roof on her shack, the top was covered with a tarpaulin sheet. In winter she and Cecil suffered with a constantly wet shack and ill health.
In June 2005, Alice and Cecil finally moved into their own home at 24144 Labohemie (Maroela) Street, Wallacedene. Her life now is ‘indescribably’ different to that of living in a shack.