Some Kimberley residents say they hope to benefit from the R1 billion housing project launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Kimberley on Thursday.
The project is expected to build more than 4 000 houses in its first phase, with at least 2 000 expected to be completed this year.
Launch of the R1 Billion Housing Project in the Northern Cape https://t.co/RMPGnxeevo
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) January 18, 2024
[VIDEO]: Minister @mmkubayi speaking to @SABCNews ahead of the Presidential Launch of Northern Cape Housing Project taking place at Roodepan Doek-Doek, Kimberly. #HousingTheNation #LeaveNoOneBehind pic.twitter.com/FEWiojjpac
— Department of Human Settlements (@The_DHS) January 18, 2024
The residents say they are tired of living in shacks. “We are looking for houses and toilets. We have been staying in shanties for 25 years, and it’s been a long time. I am so proud of the project because it’s the first time I’ve come up with an idea.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, the Northern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Human Settlements, Bentley Vass, says a lack of land is delaying the government’s plans to build proper housing.
The MEC says the government currently has a challenge with land as most of it is in private hands, which leads to an increase in informal settlements.
Vass says they are concerned about the mushrooming of informal settlements. “The mushrooming is worrying for all of us, and we are not encouraging that. We are saying the issue of land is critical because currently, we are sitting with a challenge of land because it is in private hands. Therefore, we need to look at the issue of the transformation of land. However, we are not encouraging the mushrooming of informal settlements.”
Some residents in Kimberley say they are hoping to benefit from the R1 billion housing project launched in Kimberley today. The project to be launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to build more than four thousand houses in the first phase, with at least two thousand of those expected to be completed this year. These residents say they are tired of living in shacks.
“We are looking for houses and toilets. We have been staying in shanties for 25 years, and it’s been a long time. I am so proud of the project because it’s the first time I’ve come up with an idea.”
