7 April 2009
The Gauteng MEC for Housing, Ms Nomvula Mokonyane assure residents of this
province that processes to assist people with housing related issues is well
underway and all efforts within departmental resources and ability will be
done.
The MEC's assurance comes after the observations of few problems in some areas,
where people have been evicted and others occupied houses illegally.
The MEC said: âWe appeal to people to refrain from illegally occupying
houses. While we understand the plight of the homeless, but we cannot tolerate
individuals or groups with ulterior motives to hijack legal processes.â Ms
Mokonyane added that those who feel aggrieved are welcome to register their
concerns through formal structures such as the Alexandra Development Forum.
âOur door remains open. However, we cannot allow people to take law into their
own hands.
âAnd anyone who will be found to be in the wrong side of the law will be
dealt with.â It is alleged that a group which call itself, Alexandra
Vuk'uzenzele Crisis Committee has threatened to illegally occupy completed and
near completed houses in Alexandra.
The Gauteng Department of Housing has engaged all law enforcement agencies
to take action against any illegal occupations of houses in Alexandra, MEC for
Housing Ms Nomvula Mokonyane has announced.
However, the same group has refused to participate in any formal structures,
including the Greater Alexandra Development Forum (GDAF), wherein they can
register their concerns. They have even refused to attend meetings called by
local councillors in order to discuss development and process of allocation of
houses to people of Alexandra as agreed upon during the community summit held
two years ago instead they opted to work against the project.
In that summit a decision was taken by community leaders with a full mandate
from the communityâs buy-in to allocate houses on Alexandra through the block
by block in order to ensure that new housing developments in the area are able
to continue and in targeted precincts within Alexandra.
The department together with key stakeholders in Alexandra are adamant that
block by block approach remains the best strategy on housing allocation, âand
the support it has received from community through the GADF gives us hope that
we are on the right track despite pockets of dissatisfaction by a fewâ said
Mokonyane.
Through the Alexandra Renewal Project, currently there are 18 housing
projects that are implemented and are in different stages and already delivered
a total of 7 460 new houses. Reconstruction Development Programme (RDP)
houses comprise 3 771 of this total, and 3 154 are affordable social housing
units. Four new schools have been built and suitable land has been identified
for mixed income groups, mixed use and alternative tenure options. Other
services delivered include the upgrading of roads, the building of pedestrian
bridges, the rehabilitation of the Jukskei River banks, the creation of parks
and gardens and the development of the Alexandra Police Station, Pan African
Development, Hostels, Clinics and other infrastructure related projects.
âIt is rather surprising that despite development taking place, people would
resort to acts of violence and disruption. It is clear that there are elements
bend to undermine the work government is doing to change the lives of the poor.
We will however not allow anyone to frustrate our efforts to uplift the
standard of our people,â said Mokonyane.
While communities have a right to engage in protests to express their
dissatisfaction, this has to be done in a lawful manner and without in fringing
on other peopleâs rights. Those who are engage in criminal activity will be
dealt with according to the law.
Mokonyane further said, âThe recent protests that erupted in the Alexandra
have underlying circumstances and thereâs no doubt that some disgruntled
political individual and groups are using ordinary citizens for their own
political benefit and advancing their own agenda through the use of mass
protests leading up to the election. Our efforts therefore will be dedicated
towards improving communication as well as consultation with all stakeholders
at local level.â
The department therefore wishes to appeal to people that have applied
between the years 1996 and 1998 to always keep in touch with the department in
order to get latest information on housing delivery programme and their
individual applications.
In line with the Constitution of this country, the Gauteng Department of
Housing in highly committed to ensure that citizens who qualify for shelter are
assisted to the best ability.
The Gauteng Department of Housing is highly committed to work with people of
Gauteng to find solutions to the problems of housing and we are working
tirelessly to speed up delivery and ensure that we reduce housing backlog in
our province.
The MEC urges Gauteng residents and stakeholders to work closely with her
department and government to help accelerate housing delivery in the province.
The assurance that we give our people is that if delivery has not happen in
your area it will soon happen as it did in other areas where people waited
patiently.
We are also coming to your community. What we humbly ask for from our people
is co-operation and understanding as we strive to deliver on our mandate. Above
all, it is also the responsibility of the law-abiding citizens to protect and
preserve the assets provided by the state.
For more information contact:
Mongezi Mnyani
Cell: 082 602 5358
Issued by: Department of Housing, Gauteng Provincial Government
7 April 2009
Source: Department of Housing, Gauteng Provincial Government (http://www.housing.gpg.gov.za)
