Premier Helen Zille says the province is faced with an "extraordinary" housing waiting list, however government is committed to easing the 400 000 backlog in the Western Cape. Speaking to VOC on Friday, the Premier reassured that construction on the N2 Gateway project will resume in the next few months, after being marred by controversy of disorder and mismanagement during the previous provincial administration.
This comes after the Premier visited residents of Blikkiesdorp near Delft this week, where concerns were raised about housing in the area. Zille said whilst government understands the frustration of residents, the growing backlog has made it difficult for the province to keep up with the pace of housing delivery.
"There is no government that I am aware of, anywhere in the world that gives away so many free houses. And in South Africa, the notion that the state gives you a house has become entrenched, which is why more and more people turn government for housing. This has resulted in the current housing backlog of 400 000 in the province," she said.
"That is an extraordinary number and I do not know of any similar situation anywhere in the world. We are making good progress though in moving towards ensuring that everyone has a housing opportunity on a piece of land with proper services. However, it is impossible to keep up with the flow of people requiring housing."
Waiting list
Zille said the province worked on a "first come first serve" basis, in which those on the top of the housing waiting list would be prioritized. However, the ever-increasing list required a "change of ratio", she added. In her engagement with Blikkiesdorp residents, Zille said she had recorded names and details of those who claim they have been on the waiting list for years and these were verified. This has prompted her to move the process forward.
The provincial department of housing plan to build homes in The Hague near Delft which will commence in the next four to five months. Zille said the department would also be continuing construction on the N2 Gateway Project after rescuing private construction company Thubelisha Homes from bankruptcy, after "the mess created by the previous administration."
The Auditor General Report on the project found mismanagement and widespread deficiencies in the planning, accounting, design, construction, and execution of the housing development project. Western Cape Housing MEC, Bonginkosi Madikizela has admitted to serious defects in the N2 Gateway Phase 1 Flats. In September, the UN affiliated Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) published a significant report criticizing the N2 Gateway Project for its "housing rights violations" and for its "lack of consultation with poor residents" affected by the project.
"We are trying to get money paid that was owed to Thubelisha Homes. The company did not sign any contracts and the state could not pay it any money. We are sorting this out step by step and we should resume building in the next few months," she reassured. - VOC
This comes after the Premier visited residents of Blikkiesdorp near Delft this week, where concerns were raised about housing in the area. Zille said whilst government understands the frustration of residents, the growing backlog has made it difficult for the province to keep up with the pace of housing delivery.
"There is no government that I am aware of, anywhere in the world that gives away so many free houses. And in South Africa, the notion that the state gives you a house has become entrenched, which is why more and more people turn government for housing. This has resulted in the current housing backlog of 400 000 in the province," she said.
"That is an extraordinary number and I do not know of any similar situation anywhere in the world. We are making good progress though in moving towards ensuring that everyone has a housing opportunity on a piece of land with proper services. However, it is impossible to keep up with the flow of people requiring housing."
Waiting list
Zille said the province worked on a "first come first serve" basis, in which those on the top of the housing waiting list would be prioritized. However, the ever-increasing list required a "change of ratio", she added. In her engagement with Blikkiesdorp residents, Zille said she had recorded names and details of those who claim they have been on the waiting list for years and these were verified. This has prompted her to move the process forward.
The provincial department of housing plan to build homes in The Hague near Delft which will commence in the next four to five months. Zille said the department would also be continuing construction on the N2 Gateway Project after rescuing private construction company Thubelisha Homes from bankruptcy, after "the mess created by the previous administration."
The Auditor General Report on the project found mismanagement and widespread deficiencies in the planning, accounting, design, construction, and execution of the housing development project. Western Cape Housing MEC, Bonginkosi Madikizela has admitted to serious defects in the N2 Gateway Phase 1 Flats. In September, the UN affiliated Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) published a significant report criticizing the N2 Gateway Project for its "housing rights violations" and for its "lack of consultation with poor residents" affected by the project.
"We are trying to get money paid that was owed to Thubelisha Homes. The company did not sign any contracts and the state could not pay it any money. We are sorting this out step by step and we should resume building in the next few months," she reassured. - VOC
The report - N2 Gateway Project: Housing Rights Violations as ‘Development’ in South Africa - can be Downloaded here
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