21 September 2007
Protests that recently confronted the housing department in Gauteng will
come under the spotlight when community representatives and other housing
stakeholders meet to discuss housing developments in the province.
The Gauteng Housing MEC Nomvula Mokonyane has convened a one day workshop of
all housing stakeholders to look into all Housing Development Projects that are
currently under implementation across all the communities in the province.
The workshop, which will be held on Tuesday, 25 September 2007, is aimed at
empowering community representatives with information regarding housing plans
and projects and also to work towards strengthening community engagement
regarding development driven by government.
The workshop comes just after a two-day meeting in Bela Bela in Limpopo
which looked at the state of housing delivery in Gauteng and the development of
plans for completing housing delivery for the remainder of the government term
of office.
Mokonyane said the workshop will afford communities, public representatives
and stakeholders an opportunity to interrogate and understand all housing
projects that are being implemented in the province.
"Community participation in housing projects has in most instances been
dogged by problems of conflict of interest between the pursuance of business
interest and community representation among community stakeholders.
Inconsistent communication from us has also not helped the situation," said
Mokonyane.
The MEC said in some of the projects community structures that established
are often not familiar with what is supposed to be their role in rallying the
community to support and accept a project and represent the interests of the
community.
Among those expected to attend are ward councillors, ward committee members,
housing representatives, Community Development Workers, Community Liaison
Officers and municipal project managers.
Details are as follows:
Date: 25 September 2007
Time: 09h00
Venue: The Pyramid Conference Venue, Eloff Street extension, Johannesburg
Enquiries:
Aviva Manqa
083 600 3830
Mandla Sidu
083 602 6169
Issued by: Department of Housing, Gauteng Provincial Government
21 September 2007
