Relief on expensive rent for Gauteng households

In a bid to alleviate the burden of rising living costs for households in Gauteng, the Gauteng Partnership Fund (GPF) is offering affordable rent options in quality-built housing units.

The GPF is an agency of the Department of Human Settlements and was established in 2002 to form private and public partnerships in order to speed up the development of affordable rental housing near amenities and economic opportunities.

Recently, the agency has partnered with the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) to launch a 72-unit housing development project at Harpur Avenue in Benoni.

The partnership provided financial support of approximately R37 million to Lekotu Enterprise to build the units. The financial assistance is provided to housing development projects that offer affordable rental to households with a monthly income of less than R15 000.

The company is owned by two women, Ephenia Moeti, a lawyer and Nthabiseng Masithela an engineer.

“We started the company in 2018 and received funding in 2019. It took a lot of hard work and resilience to get where we are,” said Masithela.

Working in a maledominated industry required them to put their foot down in some instances. “We were bold to say NO to people who were not right for the job and those who did not deliver, we questioned things,” explained Moeti.

The units they built are suitable for bachelors and small families and are offered at a competitive rental price that tenants would be hardpressed to find in the open market.

Although it was Lekotu Enterprise’s first project, the company is receiving compliments for its quality structure.

“When the earthquake happened, I was in my bedroom sleeping. It was water under the bridge because the building is so strong. I thought I would stay here for one year but now I want to extend my stay to four years,” said Don Ndlovu, a tenant.

He added that the place is convenient and safe. “I like staying here because this place is close to [essential] facilities and we work with Community Police Forum, security guards and the police station is not far.”

The GPF through its various programmes has provided assistance to more than 20 000 rental housing projects since its inception.