The MEC for Local Government and Housing visited three construction sites today to try and find what was holding the projects from completion and if construction companies were on site working. He visited Princess in Roodeport west of Johannesburg where he learned that there was a problem with the transit accommodation which is intended to accommodate 340 families at the time when construction of their houses starts.
“I received information that the environmental impact assessment people wanted us to comply with environmental norms and standards at a decanting facility we are putting up. We are sorting that out and ones we are ready we will start moving people to the camp. We are concerned about the projects that we have budgeted for, which should come to finality. We have many people who are waiting for houses and our resolve is that where we have been able to find land we should put up services and start building. We expect the same for Princess,” said MEC Lekgoro.
The team proceeded to Doorkop and Lufhereng were the MEC was able to view houses which are under construction. “We are satisfied that by May 2010 we may be putting about 190 families in their newly built houses in Doornkop. The contractor is on sight and is working very hard. We may not say the same about Lufhereng where we intend to build about 24000 houses in phases which may take about 10 Years. This is a mixed house project like Cosmo City and Chief Albert Luthuli. At the moment there are about 907 houses. The contractors have experienced problems of water and electricity connection. At least the department has reached an agreement at a meeting held today were one farmer agreed to release the land to use to extend services for water and sanitation,” said Lekgoro.
“We could not go to Ivory Park but we went to Garankuwa ext 24 where we saw progress as well. We expect to start building 500 houses at the beginning of the next financial year. We hope to complete this project by March 2011, we expect that by march 2013 bout 1500 houses would have been built if the budget is available,” said Lekgoro.
For more information please contact:
Fred Mokoko
Cell: 082 447 8407
Tel: 011 355 4013
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, Gauteng Provincial Government
16 March 2010
