To reach the intended 2014 target of eradicating the informal settlements in the Province, the North West Department of Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison has set aside an amount of R230 million in this current financial year.
In his budget policy presentation today at the Legislature , MEC Nono Maloyi has pronounced that the partnership between his department and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has delivered a comprehensive Informal Settlements Database Atlas (ISDA) which was officially handed over to the province by the National Department of Science and Technology.
Maloyi told the Provincial Legislature that the database will help the department with planning and management of future allocation with a view of eradicating slums counted at the total of 140 across the province, with over 77000 shacks, of which 70% of these informal settlements are said to be in the Bojanala District.
The Informal Settlement Upgrading Programme was adopted by government in 2004, as part of the Breaking New Ground Policy (BNG), to “eradicate” all informal settlements by the year 2014. In ensuring this achievement, provinces and their municipalities were assigned the responsibility to plan and execute the required programmes and projects.
The North West Province was the first province to commission an investigation on the mushrooming and the existing informal settlements in the provinces. Conducted by SANSA, the investigation lasted for a period of five years.
In achieving the said target, the department has already engaged with business and other stakeholders.
As part o eradicating the informal settlements in the province the department will build about 600 houses in the Groot Marico area in the Ramotshere Moilwa local Municipality at a cost of R59 million.
The housing project which is in line with the outcome 8, is expected to improve the quality of people’s lives and bring back human dignity to the marginalised communities.
Enquiries:
Simon Lesolang Mmope
Tel: 018 391 0423
Cell: 082 574 7621
Fax : 018 391 0328
E-mail: smmope@nwpg.gov.za
R230 million set aside to eradicate informal settlements in the NW
Province
