Gauteng hopes housing can help reduce protests

Makhura in high spirits as he unveils R11-billion project

Gauteng premier David Makhura has appealed to residents in the province to be patient, saying his administration was now ready to deliver services.

Makhura’s comments come as Gauteng continued to experience service delivery protests.

Yesterday, Makhura launched the Montrose mega human settlements project near Mohlakeng, West Rand. The R11-billion project would see houses built and clinics revitalised.

Makhura was accompanied by cooperative governance, traditional affairs and human settlements MEC Paul Mashatile.

Mashatile said the provincial government was planning to deliver the first 1 000 houses in Montrose by March next year. He attributed most of the service delivery protests in the province to a lack of housing.

“There are other issues but housing is a big issue. We are confident that with the delivery of mega human settlement projects, we will calm communities.

“We are confident that this project will reduce the number of protests. We don’t want projects stopped because of unhappiness on the ground.

“I don’t want to come here next year because some people on the ground are not happy,” Mashatile said.

He added that the Gauteng government had taken time to get the private sector to partner it.

“In a period where our national economy is not doing well, it is a statement of confidence in our administration that we were able to attract huge amounts of private sector investment. Everywhere we go, we are able to say where organised business in the area is.”

Gauteng province intends launching 31 projects of this magnitude between now and April 2019.