A former shack dweller is elated that after many years living in a shack with her 10 member family, her woes are finally over now that she will become a first time home owner.
Ms Sibongile Dlangamandla (49) of Thembisa, Ekurhuleni adds that her moving into her Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) house will also restore both her dignity and respect.
The Local Government and Housing MEC Kgaogelo Lekgoro and the Mayor of Ekurhuleni Ntombi Mekgwe handed over more than 48 RDP walk ups in Inxiweni in Thembisa.
Dlangamandla said that it felt like a dream when she was informed that she is going to benefit from this project. “I am glad that I have moved from the unbearable conditions of living in a shack with a family of 10. The life in informal settlements makes you vulnerable to all types of diseases. Now I am going to live like any other normal person,” said Dlangamandla.
She said owning a property after eight years of wait is the most important thing that ever happened to her family. “Now I believe that houses are available and people should follow the right procedures and apply for houses. My patience with government has finally paid off today. ”
Local Government and Housing MEC Kgaogelo Lekgoro told the beneficiaries that the department will accelerate the delivery of houses to accommodate more people. “It remains our priority to move people from the informal settlements so that we can be able to see visible changes in our communities,” said Lekgoro.
“I would like to urge our communities to be patient with the government. We also urge our community to continuously come to the department to update their details and check if their names have not come up for them to receive a house. It is important that once houses remain empty because of missing beneficiaries people invade them and it takes time and money for government to remove the unlawful occupants. It also delays the delivery of houses to those on the demand database,” said MEC Lekgoro.
“This project also demonstrates our commitment that those people who may not benefit from a project due to an overflow, they will then be accommodated one way or the other,” said MEC Lekgoro.
The project is expected to yield 121 double storey units for the accommodation of approximately 600 people who came from an overflow from the previous Inxiweni housing development. Furthermore, the department has also identified two pockets of land in Inxiweni and the land is expected to yield further 77 double storey units.
For more information contact:
Fred Mokoko
Cell: 082 447 8407
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, Gauteng Provincial government
20 August 2009
Source: Department of Local Government and Housing, Gauteng Provincial government (http://www.housing.gpg.gov.za/)
