MEC for Human Settlements, Desbo Mohono, has applauded Impala Platinum and government stakeholders for the successful launch of the Sunrise View housing project in Rustenburg.
"This is an example of what the people of South Africa can achieve, if they work together in the reconstruction and development of our nation," said Mohono.
This housing project for mineworkers is a partnership between the national Department of Human Settlements, Impala Platinum, provincial Department of Human Settlements and the National Housing Funding Corporation (NHFC).
Mohono is confident that this initiative will help alleviate housing shortage in the area. It will further ensure that "never again, will mineworkers be confined to hostels which have always been characterised by inhuman living conditions".
More than 1 500 homes have been built for workers at Impala Platinum Mine in a joint venture between the company and government's National Housing Finance Corporation.
The houses, all two or three bedroom units, cost between R225 000 and R265 000. Consistent with government's vision of integrated human settlements, Impala Platinum is also building social amenities such as a school, places of worship and a clinic.
"This is a true model of the human settlements we seek to achieve where we will school, leisure, play and live close to our workplaces," said Mohono.
This housing project seeks to improve housing delivery in the province. It targets people earning between R3 500 and R7 500. This group of people is generally referred to as "the gap market". This means that they do not earn low enough to qualify for neither Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) houses nor high enough to qualify for bonds from the banks.
The project, which seeks to improve housing delivery in the province, was hailed by MEC Mohono as positive step towards giving concrete expression to the notion of Public Private Partnership.
"Such initiatives will assist government to reduce housing backlog, and further put an end to the emergence of informal settlements," said Sexwale.
Meanwhile the Minister of Human Settlements, Tokyo Sexwale said that South Africa needed an average seven percent economic growth to ensure that government overcomes the current housing backlog and unemployment challenges facing the country.
One of the beneficiaries of this project, Kgomotso Molotsi, who could not hide her excitement said when the company introduced the project she could not resist the offer as owning a property had always been her dream.
Molotsi lived with her parents because she could not afford a place of her own. She joined Impala in 2007 as a senior clerk and could not afford owning her own home. She said she is looking forward to making the property a home.
Enquiries:
Cornelius Tanana Monama
Cell: 082 578 4063 or 082 578 4063
Tel: 018 391 0420/21
Rebaone Moeng
Tel: 018 391 0424
Cell: 073 5011 345
E-mail: rmoeng@nwpg.gov.za
Mohono lauds Impala housing projects
Province
