Long wait for houses comes to an end

FINALLY there is hope that thousands of Orange Grove informal settlement residents will occupy decent houses now that the provincial government has made an undertaking to prioritise the project in the financial year starting in April.

Many, if not all, have been without decent shelter for more than 20 years, and Bhisho’s first promise was made eight years ago.

Close to 3 500 residents have applied for housing, and just over 2 000 were approved.

These shack dwellers have had no proper roads or electricity connections for more than 20 years.

One of the thousands of residents waiting for their houses is Palesa Mgangala who said she had almost given up on the government’s promise.

“I qualify for a subsidy as I was approved and that was some five or seven years ago.

“I am still waiting for a house and what is worse we are heading for another national election with nothing to be proud of,” she said.

Another resident still waiting for a house is Bangumzi Masimini.

The Daily Dispatch over the weekend caught up with him while he was opening a trench to divert the rainwater flooding his shack.

“All I need is a house with electricity and running water. When it’s raining we don’t sleep as you can see that our shacks are flooding,” he said.

Masimini said their shacks ran parallel with illegal electricity connection that were dangerous for people, especially children.

“It is time for government to deliver,” said Masimini.

Eastern Cape housing MEC Helen Sauls-August said construction would commence on the new high priority projects in Orange Grove and Gonubie’s Mzamomhle township.

“Construction will commence on the new high priority projects in Orange Grove and Gonubie’s Mzamomhle township, Phakamisa South, Breidbach and in Ngqinisa Anti-Poverty site,” said Sauls-August.

Sauls-August said in Buffalo City Metro (BCM) there were multi-year running projects that would be implemented. These include:

● Mdantsane Infill area with 1 459 units;

● Ndevana with 1 478 housing units;

● Peelton’s 2 174 units;

● Tshabo phase 3 with 500 units;

● Ndancama with 640 units; and

● Lungalabantu with 739 units. Orange Grove community leader Olga Twalingca, who is also Economic Freedom Fighters PR councilor at BCM, said their people had been living on empty promises.

“There are no proper toilets, there are no proper roads, people are forced to steal electricity, putting their lives at risk,” he said.

Sauls-August said her department would also embark on an audit and verification of approved beneficiaries dating between 1994 to 2004.

“This audit will be done as part of the close out of old and blocked projects.

“Beneficiaries who have not yet received their houses and whose social and economic states have not changed will remain in the housing subsidy system.” —