Housing runs into problems
2007-07-26
A NUMBER of housing projects in Mbekweni have run into problems due to irregularities.
This became clear at a recent meeting to address the concerns of residents over the delays with housing.
The Drakenstein Housing Project Co-ordinator, Cupido Jacobs, gave an overview of the current housing situation in the area.
“In Phola Park unfortunately a People’s Housing Project has been blocked by government, because of suspected mismanagement by support organisations and suppliers.
There has also been disruption due to dissatisfaction with the builder.
“The big Drommedaris project of 2000 erven approved to house families living under the power line and next to the railway line has also run into tendering problems and has been delayed for six months.
“New tenders are currently under consideration and it is hoped that work will commence in September.”
One of the oldest project, Project 2, has been stalled for ten years.
Only about 40 of the 235 houses in the project have been completed due to limited funding for an acceptable house size.
A number of stone houses have been constructed by youth empowerment learnership projects, but the project collapsed due to dissatisfaction with the government stipend of R500 paid to the learners.
“Things did not run as smoothly with the empowerment building project as we had hoped. Some of the youths were not committed and dedicated to the learnership and they influenced the others.
“In May this year the Western Cape Premier, Ebrahim Rasool, held an imbizo here and he requested the Department of Housing and the Municipality to get their act together and get this project moving.
“An additional 22 stone houses are now to be built with the assistance of prisoners who have completed a 60 day building certificate.”
“In the next phase, another 120 houses will be built with the assistance of an Irish company, the Mellon Housing Initiative, starting in the next fourteen days,” Jacobs said.
He also said that the government had given instruction that the houses should be 40 square metres m in size and no less than 36m.
This meant changes to the building plans, which had caused another delay.
Other projects are progressing satisfactorily. Mellon Housing Initiative has been appointed to construct 149 houses in Phola Park and has completed 60 so far in the area.
“In White City Housing Scheme 51 of 235 houses have been handed over, with the last 21 to be handed over this month.
“The upgrading of the hostels has nearly been completed. The remaining 27 units can only be constructed once the informal structures have been relocated.”
Currently there are 33 000 households on the waiting list in the Drakenstein area, excluding many backyard dwellers.
“We are busy with a survey to find out how many backyard dwellers there are. As soon as we know this, the Council needs to make a recommendation concerning housing options for these people,” Jacobs said.
He gave the assurance that houses were allocated according to who had been on the waiting list the longest - including houses in Housing Scheme 59 in Fairyland.
According to Jacobs R80 million per year will be needed to address the housing backlog.
“Only R29,7 million was received from the government for the 2007-2008 financial year.”
* The meeting started off on a low note when angry residents demanded the presence of the full Mayoral Committee as had been indicated on the notice of the meeting.
One resident, Phindile Maxam, wanted to know why only the councillor for housing, Clarie Meyer was present, while the rest of the mayoral committee was absent.
“We were told that the Mayor with his committee would be at this meeting. Where are they?” Maxam wanted to know.
“It just shows that the mayoral committee has no interest in the residents of Mbekweni,” one resident remarked.
More
News
|
