By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has described the building of over 4 000 houses in municipalities across in Northern Cape as the biggest in the history of the province.
“This project is going to help reduce the housing backlog in the Northern Cape, as more people have access to housing in urban and rural areas. The most vulnerable in our society will be prioritised as beneficiaries of this mega-housing project.”
“We will strive to ensure that the elderly, child-headed households, military veterans and persons with disabilities get priority in the allocation of these houses. What is significant about this project is that it will also address the housing needs of the so-called ‘missing middle’, people who have a form of income but do not qualify for either subsidised housing or home loans with commercial banks, “Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa said the R1 billion project will also be used to get rid of shacks and mud homes and also create business and working opportunities – especially in the construction industry – during the next 12 to 18 months.
The project is expected to build more than 4 000 houses in its first phase, with at least 2 000 expected to be completed this year.
The Department of Human Settlements is currently battling the growing backlog of blocked or incomplete human settlements projects.
Ramaphosa said that the funds have been sourced from the Human Settlements Development Grant, and through the province approaching a loan facility of National Treasury and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
Before the launch of the billion rand project, tripartite alliance partners of the ANC, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) raised numerous concerns – including the poor state of previously built government houses and thousands of incomplete housing projects in the province.
Despite showing initial support for the housing project, Cosatu said it is concerned “about the area where these houses are intended to be built, especially in Kimberley (Roodepan area) given the fact that most of the houses that were recently built in the same Roodepan area are already falling apart.”
“[Cosatu] is also extremely concerned about the government’s delay to implement a project that was previously approved for building an additional 12,800 houses for recipients who do not qualify for government-funded houses nor mortgage bonds because of high property prices in Kimberley,” said the union, slamming the stalled project for not fulfilling its promise of employing 22,000 workers from various sectors.
The union’s Northern Cape branch organised a picket during the president’s launch because “[they] have explored all other avenues seeking answers, but all our efforts fell on deaf ears.”
In response, Ramaphosa said at the launch: “We know that right here in Roodepan and in other parts of the municipality, there are social housing structures that were not built according to quality standards or are facing challenges with wastewater drainage and groundwater seepage – this will not be allowed to happen again.”
He said the launch of the project is a further demonstration that government is making good on its commitment to fulfil the human rights of all South Africans.
Despite the current challenges in the country, the President said government has made progress in expanding access to housing since the advent of democracy.
“This year, we celebrate 30 years since achieving our democracy. Last year, Statistics South Africa released the results of Census 2022, which give an indication of the strides we have made in improving the lives of the South African people.
“When the census was conducted in 2022, nearly 9 out of every 10 households were living in formal dwellings. When the first census in a democratic South Africa was held in 1996, only 6 out of every 10 households lived in a formal dwelling.
“In South Africa today, 8 out of every 10 households have access to piped water either inside their home or in the yard. These are achievements we must celebrate, “Ramaphosa said.