Multimillion-rand Jachvlakte housing project under way
Residents welcome construction which they have waited for since 2016
The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality’s human settlements directorate is racing against the clock to ensure it wraps up construction of houses for the Jachvlakte community in Booysen Park before the end of the 2022/2023 financial year.
So far, the Eastern Cape provincial government has given R13.7m for the construction of 83 out of a total of 357 units.
The 83 units are almost in their final stages after construction started last month.
Approval was given to construct 225 of the units and the municipality will apply for funding to continue building.
While residents in the area welcomed the project, which they have waited for since 2016, it was not spared challenges and complaints from beneficiaries.
Human settlements political head Tukela Zumani visited the area yesterday for an oversight visit.
“The project size is 357 houses and there’s been an approval for the construction of 83 units to the value of R13.7m.
“We are now building 83 units and we will continue building when there are additional funding approvals and the 225 houses have been completed.”
He said during the construction of the 83 houses, they would submit applications to build the remaining 49 units in this financial year.
Zumani told residents that there had not been any housing development for the past seven years because the city’s developer status had been removed.
“Now that we’ve regained the confidence of the province, we’ll be able to obtain more funds for housing development going forward.
“We’ve already built 876 units in the financial year across the metro.
“Before losing our developer status, we were averaging about 5,000 units per annum.
“We are well on our way to reaching and surpassing that threshold in this or the next financial year.”
Meanwhile, residents in Jachvlakte raised concerns about building material that was already wearing away, with bricks crumbling. Also, some residents do not appear on the beneficiary list, while others appear to have houses in areas they do not know.
Resident Neliswa Langa, who is physically impaired, said her building material had not been placed inside her yard as it had been done for others and she was worried about the crumbling bricks and other material being stolen.
“I was in the first group of people for the houses, but mine has not been built while others, who came late have had theirs almost finished,” she said.
“The concrete slab for the new house was laid two months ago and the bricks delivered.
“With the recent rains they have been crumbling.
“I worry that if the material gets stolen I will be liable and it will delay the construction of my house.”
Human settlements project manager Thembela Sitole said they had signed up everyone in the community and submitted 290 names to the province, which had approved 225.
“Some of the names are yet to be approved.” She said the criteria used for the selected 83 beneficiaries were based on different categories of people and included the elderly, young people in difficult circumstances, people living with disabilities and the conditions of certain families.
“On the issue of crumbling bricks that is not a problem; the contractors on site are aware of this.
“Fortunately, we test bricks from the supplier to check that they’re SABS approved.
“We make sure contractors don’t use broken bricks; residents shouldn’t worry about issues of theft because that won’t be at their expense.”
Sitole said some residents panicked when they saw progress on other houses while they just had the concrete slabs to show but all houses would be built.
Ward 29 councillor Luvuyo Nomnqa said the community welcomed the project after years of waiting.
“Contractors are on site building, others are busy with the sewerage system, plumbing and electrifying the homes, and we are happy to see that.”