Mbekweni housing in crisis
2007-03-08
HOUSING development in Mbekweni is in a crisis, despite the protestations of the Municipal Manager, Dr Sidima Kabanyane (“Breakfast TV was misleading” 22 February).
Look at the budget allocation per housing project and the year in which it was allocated. There is nothing we can be proud of, because each of these projects has been delayed for many years.
In addition, the Municipality has poor strategies when it comes to providing housing.
Newcomers come from outside Paarl and erect their shacks in road reserves and near electric pylons - now they are to get erven in the new development, but for the many people born in Mbekweni living in shacks in backyards, there is no housing provision.
Unsuccessful attempts are made to upgrade the Mbekweni area, such as the taxi rank in the centre of Mbekweni which is waterlogged when it rains - no wonder it was quickly cleaned up the day before the TV cameras came.
Why was the money spent on this project if it was not properly executed to ensure good drainage?
The building erected next to the taxi rank for small businesses was built without consultation with business people in Mbekweni. Now it is just a white elephant standing empty.
Dr Kabanyane complains that residents are wrong when they say 75% of Mbekweni is unemployed, but he does not supply statistics to back up his claims.
If the residents interviewed on TV were wrong, why did none of the town councillors standing within earshot, speak up?
Loyiso Sibelekwana
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