Mining houses release land for housing development

31 Mega Human Settlements planned for Gauteng to reduced housing backlog

Mining houses have released parts of their own land for the construction of new human settlements in the West Rand. This was said by Gauteng premier David Makhura during his fifth state of the province address at Alberton Civic Centre in Ekurhuleni. He said that the provincial government is working with the national government and leaders of the mining and agri-business sector to build an agro-industrial cluster in the West Rand.

“I welcome the decision by the mining houses to release their own land for agroindustrial development and construction of new human settlements,” said Makhura.

The decision by mining houses to release land for the development of human settlements coincides with the provincial government’s core mandate of bringing in the private sector partners to construct new post-apartheid Mega Human Settlements.

“Already, there are 31 Mega Human Settlements planned for our province in the next five years — 10 are already under construction, 11 are in detailed planning and the remaining 10 are at a conceptual stage,” said Makhura.

But he did acknowledge the housing backlog in the province, and said it was due to rapid urbanisation and the high rate of immigration.

“These Mega Human Settlement projects will contribute significantly to reducing the housing backlog. They are building sustainable, inclusive and integrated community accommodation, which will proide a full range of social and economic opportunities,” said Makhura.

He said that the provincially driven Rapid Land Release was a major policy shift to be introduced by government. “This programme is about making land available to South Africans who want to build houses for themselves and set up their own enterprises. This shift has been embraced by President Ramaphosa in his 2019 state of the nation Address.”

So far, the provincial government has already implemented the Rapid Land Release Programme working jointly with the City of Ekurhuleni and has received positive reviews, with thousands waiting in anticipation for land to be released.