‘Our new houses are infested, falling apart’
LERATO Park residents made use of the opportunity to complain to the Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe Sisulu, during her visit to hand over title deeds and keys, saying that their new homes were crawling with fleas, lice and mice.
Community members also said that the semi-detached houses were falling apart. “The fleas and lice are breeding in the ceiling,” said a community member, Brenda Everyday.
The MEC for Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Alvin Botes, urged the community to rather discuss the issue of fleas, lice and mice “when the minister is not around”.
Sisulu pledged to raise funds to repair the houses as well as to make the Northern Cape the first province to eradicate shanties.
“There is a backlog of 21 000 houses in the Province. We will try to persuade other MECs to donate so that we can eradicate shacks in the Northern Cape, in the next year or two,” said Sisulu.
She also warned that the houses of beneficiaries who returned to living in a shack, would be taken away and given to someone else.
“You can’t have a house and live in a shack. We will buy the shacks of those who are moving to the houses, so that they can use the money to buy furniture.”
Sisulu made a commitment to repair the Lerato Park houses.
“We must find solutions to the problems. The houses are beautiful on the outside but there are cracks inside as they were built on clay soil. Our people have said ‘yes please’ that money be granted to repair the houses and the people shall have the money. Before the fences come up the soil conditions must be corrected to prevent recurring problems.”
Sisulu added that she would enter into discussions with the MEC for Coghsta to allow civil servants to be granted mortgage bonds without providing guarantees.
Sisulu also advised women not to get married in an attempt to secure a house. “Priority should be given to ensure that women who are not married are provided with houses.”