Over 2000 rural homes in Nongoma
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Willies Mchunu and MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works, Ravi Pillay visited Nongoma on Monday to get a first-hand assessment of the Osuthu Rural Housing Project. They also presented themselves to His Majesty the King to explain progress on the housing developments in the region.
“With 24 housing projects currently at different stages of planning and construction, Osuthu Rural Housing Project is expected to deliver over 2000 units at a combined cost of R180 million,” said Pillay.
He pointed out that Nongoma is one of five municipalities that constitute the Zululand District Municipality. It is Zululand’s second largest municipality in terms of population and the second largest in terms of area consisting of 21 wards. There are also three traditional councils, namely Mandlakazi, Usuthu and Matheni.
Situated in the north-east of the Zululand District Municipality, Nongoma has two secondary corridors, which run from Ulundi to uPhongolo and from Hlabisa to Vryheid. Over 98% of the population are rural residents in 363 settlements. It is only the town of Nongoma which has urban characteristics.
The department’s statistics show that the population of 194 908 live in 34 341 households. Approximately 90% of its settlements are clustered together as planned villages, with specific areas set aside for grazing and agriculture. “These settlement patterns make the installation of services like electricity, water and access roads a lot easier,” according to the MEC.
The OSUTHU A project is located in wards 9 and 20 with 573 approved beneficiaries. GK Rainbow Construction have been introduced to the community as the implementing agents.
The second, Osuthu B project has a target of 2 000 beneficiaries and has been allocated to CHS Developments. Pillay added that, “Construction work is at the point of 570 site peggings done, 186 slabs laid and 48 dwellings at wall plate level. The projects are expected to be fully completed in the 2018/19 financial year.”
Premier Mchunu and MEC Pillay also visited Mrs Cathrine Magwaza (77), a widow who lives with her son, two daughters and 9 grandchildren. She is a pensioner on an old age pension. All her grandchildren receive child support grants.
One of her daughters, Ms Thulebona Magwaza was murdered in 2000. The Magwaza family is currently staying in an old dilapidated house. The family was pleased to hear that they were prioritised for the first show house in the project.
