Launching the latest phase of the N2 Gateway, housing officials have promised an end to poor planning, spiralling costs and politics which have hamstrung the project since its launch six years ago.
On Tuesday, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale announced that 2,886 medium-density housing units would be built over three years on a vacant site at the Joe Slovo informal settlement.
The national Ministry of Human Settlements will give just under R400 million each year for the entire N2 Gateway project which includes projects in Delft and Gugulethu.
In Joe Slovo R270m will be spent over the next three years.
Sexwale said: “I don’t want the costs to overrun, keep them tight … this project should not become a hostage to local politics.”
Later, just after the sod-turning ceremony, a surprised Sexwale noticed newly elected ANC provincial leader and deputy International Affairs and Co-operation Minister Marius Fransman.
“How are things with Libya!” Sexwale jokingly exclaimed before Premier Helen Zille, who was also at the event, marched off.
In August 2009, the then national Department of Housing came under fire from Auditor-General Terence Nombembe for its failure to ensure that social housing legislation was implemented before beginning the N2 Gateway project.
But on Tuesday Sexwale acknowledged the mistakes and promised a “new chapter” in the way all housing officials dealt with communities.
“We’re laying new bricks to get this project correct,” said Sexwale.
In June 2009 the Constitutional Court ruled that 20 000 Joe Slovo residents could be evicted on condition that they were provided with proper accommodation in Delft.
But lack of available land there meant Sexwale’s officials agreed with the community that the order would not be enforced.
Addressing some of the residents, packed inside a hot tent, Sexwale said: “We’re also saying to the Constitutional Court judges that this project is part of the law and that the courts must be respected. “The (five) judges had ordered that 1,500 units be built, but we said that’s not enough and 2 886 units were planned.”
Mzwanele Zulu, a leader with the Joe Slovo Task Team which represents residents, said his joy was tempered.
“I’m happy in part but also unhappy because more could have been done to communicate with the community what government was planning to do here,” said Zulu.
Nonqaba Lujalajala, 65, said she was excited about the project and perhaps moving into a brick-and-mortar home for the first time in her adult life.
She shares a shack with her three adult children and angrily confronted Sexwale when he visited her in 2009.
Mbulelo Tshangane, Human Settlements head in the Western Cape, said the first house at the project should be completed towards the end of April.
He said that his officials were already implementing lessons that had been learnt from the N2 Gateway pilot project.
“There was a rush, rush (to get construction under way). Housing takes at least 24 months of planning before you can come with tender documents.”
- Cape Times
On Tuesday, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale announced that 2,886 medium-density housing units would be built over three years on a vacant site at the Joe Slovo informal settlement.
The national Ministry of Human Settlements will give just under R400 million each year for the entire N2 Gateway project which includes projects in Delft and Gugulethu.
In Joe Slovo R270m will be spent over the next three years.
Sexwale said: “I don’t want the costs to overrun, keep them tight … this project should not become a hostage to local politics.”
Later, just after the sod-turning ceremony, a surprised Sexwale noticed newly elected ANC provincial leader and deputy International Affairs and Co-operation Minister Marius Fransman.
“How are things with Libya!” Sexwale jokingly exclaimed before Premier Helen Zille, who was also at the event, marched off.
In August 2009, the then national Department of Housing came under fire from Auditor-General Terence Nombembe for its failure to ensure that social housing legislation was implemented before beginning the N2 Gateway project.
But on Tuesday Sexwale acknowledged the mistakes and promised a “new chapter” in the way all housing officials dealt with communities.
“We’re laying new bricks to get this project correct,” said Sexwale.
In June 2009 the Constitutional Court ruled that 20 000 Joe Slovo residents could be evicted on condition that they were provided with proper accommodation in Delft.
But lack of available land there meant Sexwale’s officials agreed with the community that the order would not be enforced.
Addressing some of the residents, packed inside a hot tent, Sexwale said: “We’re also saying to the Constitutional Court judges that this project is part of the law and that the courts must be respected. “The (five) judges had ordered that 1,500 units be built, but we said that’s not enough and 2 886 units were planned.”
Mzwanele Zulu, a leader with the Joe Slovo Task Team which represents residents, said his joy was tempered.
“I’m happy in part but also unhappy because more could have been done to communicate with the community what government was planning to do here,” said Zulu.
Nonqaba Lujalajala, 65, said she was excited about the project and perhaps moving into a brick-and-mortar home for the first time in her adult life.
She shares a shack with her three adult children and angrily confronted Sexwale when he visited her in 2009.
Mbulelo Tshangane, Human Settlements head in the Western Cape, said the first house at the project should be completed towards the end of April.
He said that his officials were already implementing lessons that had been learnt from the N2 Gateway pilot project.
“There was a rush, rush (to get construction under way). Housing takes at least 24 months of planning before you can come with tender documents.”
- Cape Times
No comments:
Post a Comment