In its efforts to deliver integrated services, North West Department of Local Government and Human Settlement in collaboration with Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development are delivering houses which will have food security project at the Marikana area in Rustenburg Local Municipality.
More than R130 million worth housing project, which is intended to rebuild the lives of the community of Marikana as well as the change the face of the area, has been kick-started. Once the houses are complete, vegetable gardens will be made before they are handed over to beneficiaries, so that the families can sustain themselves.
MEC Collen Maine says is much satisfied about the progress registered on 1st phase of the 2658 housing units which will be build in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and is confident that the contractors would complete the project on scheduled August deadline.
“As the department we are pleased with the progress in project and we are looking forward to its completion. The contractor has been given strict quality measures which they must stick to. Several slaps have already been built by some of the Marikana residents who have been employed in the project so that we also teach them how to build houses. When the project is complete some of them would will have acquired certain skills which they will use to make a living”, said MEC Maine.
The Marikana housing project is part of Rebranding, Repositioning and Renewal of Bokone Bophirima Province. Phase 1 is currently underway which entails 252 Community Residential Units (CRUs) and 292 Breaking New Ground (BNGs) type of houses. Other phases will be rolled out throughout the MTEF.
A team led by the Acting Head of Department of Local Government and Human Settlements, Moss Kgantsi and Head of the Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development Dr Pontsho Mokaila met recently at Marikana area to facilitate integrated approach which include food security in the area.
MEC Maine emphasized the importance of integrated approach to the Marikana housing project. “These communities will obviously need to sustain themselves long after the houses have been built hence the involvement of the Department of Rural, Environment and Agricultural Development. They must at least have a garden in their yard to produce food for their families once they have been allocated houses”, he said.
The project is part of the intervention by Bokone Bophirima province to transform Marikana which is poverty stricken. The plight of the Marikana residents was highlighted after the death of 34 miners during the unprotected strike at Lonmin Platinum Mine during August 2012. Lack of important service such as housing, were listed as those that needs to be fast tracked to communities. The area also has high levels of poverty and unemployment rate.
Enquiries:
Ben Bole
Cell: 071 566 1399
E-mail: msbole@nwpg.gov.za
