Gauteng to enforce by-laws to prevent mushroom of shacks

The Gauteng Department of Housing's primary priority is to provide houses for beneficiaries who have been on the waiting list from 1996 to 1998, MEC Ms Nomvula Mokonyane told scores of people during the provincial imbizo at Faranani MPCC Hall in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni, recently.

The MEC added that the ruling party, ANC has committed itself in changing the lives of its citizens for the better. This she said was through the provision of decent and affordable houses.

Ms Mokonyane also reminded the residents that Tsakane, together with the nearby townships of Kwa -Thema and Duduza form part of the government's ambitious programme, 20 PTP which aims to rehabilitate old townships.

Ekurhuleni which has the most informal settlements in Gauteng , is set to change by 2014. The MEC said they will vigorously try to speed the allocation of houses to the rightful beneficiaries. But the MEC assured the residents that the houses that the department will be building will be much bigger, 36 square meter ", and not less", emphasized Ms Mokonyane.

Further more she said Ekurhuleni as a whole will undergo a major transformation which will happen over a 20 year period. It is for this reason that the MEC urged the community to be patient and work closely with both councilors and municipality.

For instance in cases where people have to be relocated, however temporarily to another area so as to make way for construction of new houses. The residents must abide with government officials because this will go a long way in speeding up housing delivery.

The MEC said most of the projects are CBP's and therefore the projects will create the much needed jobs and skills development within the community.

She then ensured the residents that no government official including councilors will be involved in the tender processes. In this way said Ms Mokonyane "we will minimize unnecessary conflicts including allegations of corruption, nepotism and maladministration". This was greeted with a thunderous applause by the residents.

The department said the MEC often face a challenge in finding the rightful beneficiaries. As if that is not enough continued Ms Mokonyane as soon as the department registers informal settlements so that people are moved into houses. Some of the registered people recruit their family members or friends from the rural areas to come and take occupation of their shacks.

This derails the government's efforts in trying to close the waiting list gap. But the MEC said they will now do audit occupation to verify if the occupants in these informal settlements are indeed the rightful owners. Upon finding out that someone is not the rightful owner they'll cancel the initial owner from the system and give the house to someone on the waiting list.