In yet another demonstration of accelerated housing delivery in rural areas, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works Ravigasen Pillay together with Mthonjaneni Mayor Councillor N Ndlangamandla will tomorrow Friday, 12 September 2014 launch the much awaited Makhasaneni Rural Housing Project in Ward 5.
MEC Pillay and Mayor Dlangamandla will officiate at the event as part of the rural housing project launch ceremony of the 1 000 units Makhasaneni Rural Housing Project, near Melmoth in northern KwaZulu-Natal
During the past 20 years, KwaZulu-Natal has built more than 500 000 houses of the more than 3, 6 million homes built nationally since the advent of democracy.
In addition more than 89 000 housing opportunities through serviced sites have been provided during the past two decades.
The R79 million Makhasaneni Rural Housing Project is one of many projects that got stalled last year after the contractor - that had been awarded the bid to construct such housing projects in various municipalities - could not carry out the work because of financial difficulties the company faced.
The stalling of such projects including the Makhasaneni Rural Housing Project had put many communities across the province in a limbo as their much-awaited dreams of owning houses had to be deferred whilst the contractor was sorting out its business rescue plan.
The company recently returned to site this past July and resumed the construction of the 1 000 housing units and MEC Pillay is elated that the months-long patience of the beneficiary community such as the Makhasaneni community has finally paid off.
It is for this reason that the MEC Pillay saw it fitting that he personally officiate at the launch of this stalled project thus giving hope to the Makhasaneni community that their patience has paid off and that their turn to benefit from the government’s affordable housing scheme is realised.
Tomorrow’s launch of the rural housing project in Mthonjaneni comes barely a week after another significant milestone last week when MEC Pillay joined Premier Senzo Mchunu in handing over houses that are part of the 3 000 units Groutville Priority 2 and 5 Housing Projects in KwaDukuza on the North Coast.
The two projects cost more than R274 million and have benefited people who used to live in shacks which had no water, electricity and sanitation.
Presently, the KwaZulu-Natal Human Settlements will spend in excess of R3, 2 billion in housing projects in different municipalities across the province using different policy instruments ranging from in-situ, slums clearance, informal settlements upgrade, Community Residential Units (formerly single sex hostels) to rural and affordable housing projects.
These mega billion projects are in different phases ranging from approved, pre-feasibility, planning to under construction and those that have been completed waiting transfers for project close-out purposes.
Members of the media are invited to cover this historic milestone in rural housing provision and delivery. The details of the launch ceremony are as follows:
Venue: Hlabathini Sports Ground, Ward 5, Mthonjaeni Municipality (outside Melmoth)
Time: 09h30
Date: Friday, 12 September 2014
For more information and media queries, please contact:
Mbulelo Baloyi
Cell: 079 871 3915
