RDP homes set for Breidbach
MOREthan 2 000 RDP houses will be be built in Breidbach from March next year, Buffalo City Metro mayor Xola Pakati said yesterday.
Pakati revealed the plans while addressing hundreds residents at the King William’s Town hall when he started his mayoral imbizos yesterday.
The announcement comes after Breidbach residents closed down the N2 with violent protests as they demanded RDP houses be built for them – with the latest one being last month.
While Pakati did not say how much had been set aside for the construction of the 2 233 houses, he said the project was proceeding without any disruption and there was “constant engagement between the Breidbach housing committee, the department of human settlements and the municipality”.
“The home seekers identified that there were about 150 services sites in Breidbach which can be used to construct houses.
“On September 12, an in-loco inspection was conducted by the task team members led by the municipality, which discovered that a number of sites were serviced,” Pakati said.
He confirmed that the 150 sites were owned by BCM and would be donated to the housing project.
“The beneficiary profiling aimed at quantifying the current demand for housing in Breidbach has been completed, followed by a demand survey which was undertaken and completed.
“A total of 2 233 potential beneficiaries were surveyed to benefit in phase 1, 2 and 3. The envisaged start date for construction of phase 1 is March 2018,” Pakati said.
The first of four imbizos to be held across the metro started on a sour note as scores of residents were locked outside the town hall due to space limitations.
Disgruntled residents expressed disappointment and accused BCM of failing to properly organise the event which was supposed to take place at the Victoria Grounds Stadium. BCM council speaker Alfred Mtsi apologised for the chaos as some residents were left sitting on the side of the streets and others outside the hall.
To accommodate those outside the venue, speakers were put up for the residents to hear what was said inside the hall.
Mtsi said the venue was changed after they were advised that due to the weather the event could not be held at the stadium.
BCM posters said the event would start at noon but the time was also changed to 2pm.
Pakati only arrived at the venue at 2.40pm and had mixed reception as some residents booed him while others cheered for him.
Ward 40 resident Nomakhwezi Mbi said she first went to the stadium and was disappointed to learn about the change.
“I arrived at the hall very early and when I felt hungry and went to buy food I was told I could not come inside the hall anymore because it was full,” she said.
Other disgruntled residents from ward 43 who sat on the side of the road said they felt neglected.
Resident Asanda Sigwigwi said: “We did not even enter the yard. We have been sitting here listening through the speakers.
“They should have just taken this to the stadium because we feel like they do not care about people right now. The food that we received was thrown over the fence for us to catch, we were treated like dogs.” —