Christmas comes early for Ebenezer families
Christmas came early for 10 families in New Horizons after a group of beneficiaries received homes in the Ebenezer Housing Project. Some of these families have waited for more than two decades for a roof over their heads.
Housing for this community on the outskirts of Plettenberg Bay has been an issue of contention for several years. After having lobbied for housing in the area for some two decades, residents began with protest action in 2018.
Since then, there have been sporadic protests about delays in getting a housing development off the ground. The municipality finally acquired a portion of land in Ebenezer in October 2019 and it was earmarked for the construction of about 1 600 houses.
10 houses in three months
Three months after the sod-turning event for the project, the first beneficiaries received the keys to their homes. On Thursday 30 November, Bitou municipal leadership and Western Cape Minister of
Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers handed over the homes to 10 families .
The Ebenezer Housing Project is one of Bitou’s legacy projects which will yield
1 600 mixed housing opportunities, creating jobs and subcontracting opportunities in the process.
Speaking to the beneficiaries, Bitou Mayor Dave Swart said a lot of work had been done to reach this point, and more work would continue to form the new community. “We must acknowledge and remember people and instances that have helped us on the way. Even with the trials and tribulations that we had, there were people who helped advance the project,” he said.
Commitment
Simmers thanked the community for their perseverance and urged them not to allow anything to delay the progress that had been made. “What we are starting today is the formation of a new community,” he said.
He added that it was not only a celebration of the housing beneficiaries, but also a celebration of SMMEs benefitting
from the construction of the houses. “In the Bible, Ebenezer was the stone of victory, and victory is formed when the community stands together. It is when they work with their government, and not against their government. Three months ago the first stone was laid, and we committed to moving people in before the festive season,” Simmers said.
“Today we are here ahead of the schedule to move people in. This shows our commitment, the ward councillors’ commitment, the mayor’s commitment and that of the
entire Bitou Council to improve the quality of life.”
Proud day
Bitou Speaker Claude Terblanche, who is the New Horizons ward councillor, could not hide his excitement. He mentioned that one of the beneficiaries had been waiting since 1999 for a home. “Today was a proud moment for New Horizons. To see people who have waited long to get houses is something that I have always been wishing to be part of,” he said.