Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development, Lebogang Maile said the housing backlog continues to be a massive challenge in Gauteng with more than a million in need of homes because of the influx of people coming to the big city looking for job opportunities.
Maile was yesterday speaking in Randfontein in Mogale City, at a place named after the late freedom fighter, Dan Tloome. He officially opened a community hall and handed over 370 units known as RDP houses for low-income beneficiaries.
“We started this project because there is a big housing problem in our country, especially in Gauteng. Gauteng as we know, is a no man’s land as everybody comes here looking for opportunities.
For the government to accommodate that massive number, he said, it would mean other necessary services such as school buildings would have to be sacrificed.
This means the government must have a budget in the region of R1 trillion instead of its current annual budget of R150 billion, to accommodate the more than a million units required to accommodate everybody.
Turning his attention to the project in the area he said 1700 families have already been housed and when it is completed, 13 000 houses would be completed and so far about 400 homes were handed out.
First time home recipient 75-year-old, Nonezile Zakwa said she is very happy to get keys to her home after a long wait.
“I thought I would die without receiving my house for my grandchildren because I’m old now,” Zakwa said, adding that she had applied for the house in 2017.
Lelethu Bangani said she was happy her family will finally have a decent place to sleep.
“I’m glad we will have a place where we can stay freely. It shows how the government works. It might be slow because there are so many things it’s facing but finally we have our own home”.
While Cynthia Vichi, 57, who is yet to receive her house is waiting patiently and hoping she will get hers one day. “Mine hasn’t been released, they say I’m in a waiting list I’ve applied for when I was still staying in Johannesburg. They (officials) say I must update my details so then I can receive my house so I’m going to the Randfontein housing offices tomorrow,” she said.
Maile said those who don’t qualify for RDP houses are able to rent affordable houses.
