Making good on housing promises

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MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - The sod has been turned, the contractor appointed and it is all systems go for the large housing development on Louis Fourie Road that has long been the talk of many people looking for decent accommodation in Mossel Bay.

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Primary beneficiaries will be current backyard dwellers and people of the middle class; people who neither qualify for free housing nor a bank loan to afford housing available on the free market.

Provincial MEC of Human Settlements, Minister Bonginkosi Madikizela on Tuesday, 16 April launched the start of the R300 million housing project that has since been named the Mountain View development.

Upon completion within the next three years, the project will offer approximately 2 000 housing opportunities, including serviced sites, the so-called Breaking New Ground (BNG) housing opportunities, social housing and finance-linked subsidy (Flisp) units.

The development is merely three kilometres from the Central Business District (CBD) and in close proximity to retail facilities. Amenities close to the project include schools, clinics and a sports field.

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Exclude party politics
The minister insisted that while the project was launched so close to the national and provincial elections, the community of the greater Mossel Bay area should understand that party politics will not form part of the project. He insisted that no local politician should use the project for electioneering.

"This development is built with your money," the minister said. "You pay the taxes; you demand services. As the Western Cape Government housing department we use your money; judge us therefore on how we use your money to your benefit. In the run-up to the election, in fact, never may we use housing or the lack thereof to play with people's emotions," Minister Madikizela stressed.

He reiterated that the project will continue irrespective of the outcome of the upcoming elections.

"Beneficiaries have waited too long for housing. Often government housing projects cater only for free housing; this is the biggest mistake.

"Although 725 units in this development are intended for free housing, at least 278 opportunities will be created for the middle class who now live in the backyards or in rented rooms of others. We hope to alleviate the plight of the backyard dwellers.

"We need to take the backyard dwellers more seriously. People need plots and title deeds so that beneficiaries may save and incrementally build their own homes."

The minister said the more government builds free houses, the more the demand would be, leading to an unsustainable growth in the indigent population.

Land reform
He said there should be no ambiguity around land reform. "Those who had their land taken from them should be given back the land. It is imperative to fast track land redistribution.

"We need land banks and the fast tracking of land reform as this will expand the revenue base."

A contractor has been appointed and, pending an appeals process will soon be able to start with the work on site. The minister urged that the housing opportunities should remain affordable in order for home ownership to be created.

He also advised that local emerging contractors and the local workforce should benefit from the investment that is made into the housing project.

"Work together, own the project, put politics aside; this is the beginning of a great project," the minister concluded.

The Western Cape MEC for housing, Minister Bonginkosi Madikizela and ward councillor Rosina Ruiters ensure that the “groundwork” for the new housing development is done properly as the executive mayor, Alderman Harry Levendal, councillors, municipal manager Adv Thys Giliomee and officials look on.