Housing in Southern Africa July 2016

News

A moving target of 1,7 million houses by 2019 Government has set itself a target of six million houses and housing opportunities by 2019, building on from the 4,3 million already built since the new democracy.

P resident Jacob Zumamade the declaration recently during a visit to the Vulindlela Rural Enhanced People’s Housing Process (EPHP) in Taylors Halt, near Pieter- maritzburg. He said, “We have delivered 4,3 million houses and decent accom- modation since 1994 and this has benefited about 20 million people,” adding that the current administra- tion will continue working towards improving the lives of rural com- munities. “We will continue to build houses that are beautiful, which have water and electricity.” He encouraged those who had not yet received homes to remain patient. The R2,1 billion Vulindlela EPHP aims to deliver 25 000 better human settlements. The project is based on community contributions, partner- ships and leveraging of additional resources. Almost 13 community owned co-

already been completed and a further 3 700 were under construction. He added that ordinary people had be- come skilled inmanufacturing bricks, doors and windows. During the construction phase, local communitymembers employed on the project generated R6 million per month and this would improve the local economy. Government, Pil- lay said, was already thinking of ways to sustain skills and capacity, as well as to provide economic development when the project ends in 2018. The Vulindlela EPHPwas approved in the 2011/12 financial year. The Department of Human Settlements says the project covers nine wards spread over 24 455 ha of land and accommodated 136 615 residents. ■

operatives have been established so far. The cooperatives own concrete block-making facilities, quarry and construction supply chain manufac- turing firms. On the quarry site, the South African Bureau of Standards approved concrete block-making facility produces approximately 6 000 blocks per day. The mega project has created 2 000 full-time jobs and includes a skills construction programme. The President and KwaZulu-Natal Human Settlements MEC, Ravi Pillay, said that the flagship mega project was made possible through assis- tance from government, the Amak- hosi and the community all working together. Pillay said that 12 300 houses had

July 2016