R20m for military vets housing in Cape

A R20 million grant from the national government will be used for a housing project in Bardale, near Kuils River, for military veterans.

“Through the Masilingane EPHP project in Bardale, houses will be built through additional funding allocated to the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements. The Masilingane EPHP project will incorporate youth in the construction of these houses. This creates an opportunity for youth skills development,” DA provincial spokeswoman for human settlements Matlhodi Maseko said yesterday.

Department of Military Veterans deputy director general for socio-economic support services Mabel Rantla said while she was not aware of the grant, an agreement had been made to build houses for the veterans.

“Like all provinces, the Western Cape also has a responsibility to build houses for war veterans. The department has a service level agreement with provincial government to build these houses.”

Rantla said after an initial national examination, it had been determined that 6 000 veterans had registered as housing beneficiaries nationally.

“This number is likely to grow as more veterans will register, but the initial target is to build around 120 houses in 2015.”

News of the R20m grant followed yesterday’s report citing Scopa chairman Themba Godi, who stated that the department had failed to deliver services to military veterans and that 25 percent of its expenditure was irregular. Godi said Scopa cancelled hearings on the department, because the department’s books were not in order due to a lack of financial systems and controls.