MEC Mokonyane hands over houses to beneficiaries

The commitment of government has moved beyond building quantitative number of houses and focus on quality.

The MEC for Housing in Gauteng Nomvula Mokonyane said this on Sunday 19 February 2006 during the handing over of 1430 houses and title deeds to beneficiaries at Hammaskraal West Proper in Tshwane.

The development in this area started in 2002 and contractors were appointed to install water and sewer reticulation and construction of toilet structures. The houses were build through the Community Builder Programme and outstanding 20 houses will be completed in 15 March 2006. Beneficiaries in this project are people from the Kanana informal settlement.

Speaking to the community, Mokonyane said, the department is insisting that no developer should build a house which is less than 36 square meter. "Our approach is that there shall not be toilet build outside of a house in Gauteng anymore starting from April this year." said the MEC.

She urged the community to refrain from building backyard shacks in their stands. Mokonyane emphasized that when people become house owners they should stop selling houses and go back to the shacks. "No one is allowed to sell an RDP house before owning that property for more than 8 years. It is also important for people who draw a will before they die," She said.

There are other projects taking place in the Hammaskraal West Extension 1 where there are 1075 stands identified and construction of water sewer reticulation is in progress. At Hammaskraal West Extension 2 there are 2905 stands identified and contractors will be appointed once the standards of designs are completed.

One of the beneficiaries is 77 years old Deadewane lettie Masia who was born in Mathibestat and relocated to Kanana informal settlement with her granddaughter in 2001, due to family problems.

Johanna Sithole also a beneficiary in the project said, "People should not give up because they will get their houses when their turn comes."

As a contribution towards skills development and job creation a total of 529 people (50% women) from the community were employed. From the total of employed people, 77 Women, 59 Youth and 31 Men were trained in bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing, plastering, health and safety.

This programme is part of Gauteng 's programme to deal with upgrading of informal settlements by 2009 and eradicating of informal settlements by 2014.