Monday, June 26, 2006

N2 Gateway second phase ‘to start soon’ - InternAfrica Calls for public & civil participation

CAPE TOWN — Work on the second phase of the controversial N2 Gateway project to upgrade housing in informal settlements along Cape Town’s N2 highway was expected to start soon, Western Cape housing MEC Richard Dyantyi told residents of Langa last week.

Dyantyi said the project, known as Joe Slovo phase two, would yield 1000 houses, consisting of a mixture of bonded “gap” housing and fully subsidised units. At least 706 rental units were built in the first phase.

The project caused a skirmish between the newly elected Democratic Alliance-led multiparty government in the city and the African National Congress (ANC)-led province over claims of mismanagement and about R28min overruns.

Following the row, responsibility for the project was moved from the city to a government housing agency, a section 21 company called Thubelisha Homes.

The N2 Gateway project was a pilot project that formed part of the national housing department’s “breaking new ground” policy aimed at providing 22000 houses for ownership and rental, said Dyantyi. This project had sought an “urgent but sensitive response” to Cape Town’s housing needs, and the first phase had provided many lessons on how to tackle the project, he said.

The provincial housing department will be responsible for allocating the accommodation, and Dyantyi said applications were being invited from Langa, Gugulethu, Bonteheuwel, Joe Slovo, Bokmakierie and Nyanga.

He said rental costs were being finalised, and that 60 community development workers had been “deployed” to distribute the application forms and assist the applicants.

Dyantyi said the closing date for this process was today. Once the contractual issues and the process of allocation were complete, he would announce the moving-in date.

Business Day - News Worth Knowing

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