THE Drakenstein Municipality has purchased a portion of the farm Schoongezicht in Dal Josaphat, and now plans to develop it for emergency housing purposes.
The farm was purchased about three years ago with the purpose of erecting 360 low cost houses.
Although there is a list of beneficiaries on the waiting list earmarked to receive these houses, Council has decided that the land should rather be reserved for emergency cases such as farm evictions, disaster, and temporary relocation for beneficiaries whose structures are blocking construction of new projects.
Using the site for emergency housing only, was firstconsidered at the end of last year on condition that policy guidelines on emergency housing be developed, and that a public consultation process be embarked on.
On 23 March a report was tabled before the mayoral committee to recommend that the prospective beneficiaries should be accommodated in other approved housing projects in the pipeline, so that this portion of Schoongezicht can be utilised for emergency housing.
