Remarks by Minister LN Sisulu, MP at the official handover of BNG housing units in Elijah Barayi, Merafong
MEC Maile
Executive Mayor of Merafong City, Cllr Mogale-Letsie Executive Mayor of West Rand, Cllr Thabe
Executive members of the Gauteng Partnership Fund MMCs present
Officials
Ladies and gentlemen Members of the media Good morning,
- When we were confronted with the COVID-19 pandemic, we were called upon to act quickly and decisively to help combat the spread of this virus and its devastating effects on our people. We are a country that has to confront realities of poverty and deprivation. 26 years into our democracy, we still have a proliferation of informal settlements
- It is these realities that have pushed this government and this Department to deliver over 4.7 million houses and housing opportunities since 1994. This is not something to pat ourselves in the back over – but it should be recognized as hard work we have put in to ensure restoration of dignity for the vulnerable in our country. The situation we are currently facing has also jolted us to act speedily, to move people where they can have their dignity restored.
- Over the past few weeks, my officials have been crisscrossing Gauteng looking for complete housing units ready for occupation. Together with MEC Maile and respective mayors, we have identified over 3000 units wherein people can be moved in an effort to mitigate against the spread of this virus.
- This is what brings us here today. This Mega project, which upon completion will consist of over 12 500 units, has provided us with an opportunity to timeously take people out of informal settlements to live more humanely with their families.
- Over time, this project will yield not only BNG housing, but also offer housing that cater to all our programmes. Journalist will be shown models and drone pictures of the whole project – where FLISP houses will be, where bonded housing will be constructed and all other projects of Human Settlements. We are being as inclusive as we can be, in order to encourage the kind of society and community that lives together and enjoys the same economic and social benefits, regardless of their background.
- We are a government that cares and with further partnerships, our aim is to deliver more housing units to other communities. We will, over the next few weeks, allocate and handover as many housing units as we can to their rightful owners. Ours is to create an enabling environment to the people, so that when we say, ‘stay at home, practice self-distancing, wash your hands’ several frequently, we would have given you an environment with resources to do just that.
- We wish to send our message of gratitude to the three spheres of government, to our sponsors and all partnerships that have enabled us to be here today at this time.
I thank you.
Issued by
More from
More on
