Human settlements MEC Sboniso Duma has given the assurance that delayed housing projects are going to be completed.
Projects valued at millions of rand across the province have been delayed for a variety of reasons.
The MEC detailed the interventions being made in the different projects.
“We promised to revive stalled or blocked housing projects. Our interventions are there to be seen! Major breakthroughs were initiated by the department towards realising the completion of housing projects such as the Thubalethu informal settlement upgrade housing project in the Mthonjaneni Local Municipality under King Cetshwayo District Municipality.
“We have allocated R61 million for the installation of bulk water services and another R19 million for the construction of water infrastructure in the area,” he said.
To unlock bottlenecks in the Mbulwane Area H housing project, the MEC said his department has allocated R9m for the upgrading of a sewer pump station in Alfred Duma Municipality under the uThukela District Municipality.
The department has allocated R1.5m towards the assessment of the installation of internal services delaying construction of the Ncotshane housing project in oPhongolo Municipality.
In the Madadeni H39 housing project in Newcastle Local Municipality under AmaJuba District Municipality, the department has resorted to unlocking the installation of bulk services by spending R998 000.
Duma said the department is in the process of appointing service providers to conduct new beneficiary administration, and identify those that were allocated in areas where bulk services should be running.
“These projects can now move ahead as the problem of bulk infrastructure and internal services have been resolved.
“I implore District Municipalities to keep their commitments of providing funding for the provision of these infrastructure needs as the department will no longer entertain projects where bulk services are not installed or funded going forward,” the MEC said.
“I will continue with the rigorous implementation of the department’s monitoring intervention – the Siyahlola Programme – which allows the MEC and officials to witness first-hand the progress and challenges in the various housing projects spread across the province,” Duma added.
The Mercury