The Western Cape Government Minister of Human Settlements, Bonginkosi Madikizela, will hand over houses in the Drommedaris Project, Paarl on 24 April 2012. Included in the beneficiaries will be 102 year old Mr Seleku James Xontana.
Mr Xontana came to Paarl in 1940 and stayed in Klippiesdal area of Paarl. He worked for a Civil Engineering Contractor, who was involved in the construction Drakenstein Mountain Tunnel. He worked as a contract worker for SASKO in 1949 and stayed at the Mbekweni hostel B85 until he was retrenched.
Mr Xontana worked for another six years until retirement. Thereafter he stayed at the Mbekweni Hostel until his place was allocated to another resident by the hostel committee, and he was then forced to squat in the backyard of relatives. According to waiting list records he applied in 1992 for a house.
The Drommedaris project is divided in to two sections consisting of 181 and 1 047 units respectively. The project was designed to accommodate beneficiaries who reside along the railway station, hostel dwellers and some backyarders. The construction started in December 2011 and to date 211 houses have been completed.
The project exhibits different types of units, including semidetached, high density and free standing units. 171 houses have been completed in the 181 unit section, and 53 have been completed in the 1 047 unit section. The 181 Unit section has a budget of R13 million, of which R10 million has been spent. The 1 047 unit project has a budget of R101.4 million, of which R11.3 million has been spent.
On 4 and 18 April 2012, 40 houses were handed over to the adult beneficiaries. Thirteen (13) beneficiaries will receive their houses on 24 April 2012 from Minister Madikizela and Drakenstein Mayor Geysie Van Deventer.
Date: 24 April 2012
Time: 09h00
Place: Drommedaris Housing Project, Paarl
For media enquiries:
Bruce Oom
Spokesman for Minister Bonginkosi Madikizela,
Human Settlements, Western Cape Government
Tel: 021 483 6622
Fax: 021 483 3888
Cell: 072 4655 177
Minister Madikizela to hand over houses in Drommedaris, Paarl, Western Cape
Province
