Thursday, October 4, 2007

'RDP houses perpetuate degradation'

A new approach to housing delivery was needed, Gauteng MEC for housing Nomvula Mokonyane said on Wednesday.

She said the building of RDP houses under the government's reconstruction and development programme was not a sustainable solution.

It put all poor people together in an isolated area, leading to squalor conditions and degradation.

"The emphasis is on mixed settlement instead of focusing on building housing for one target market," Mokonyane told the National Press Club in Pretoria.

The department was also looking at using alternative materials for building housing, such as timber and steel instead of the usual brick and mortar.

The alternative materials would include eco-friendly materials and recycled waste.
About 145 informal settlements would be upgraded by 2009, Mokonyana said. - Sapa

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