More than 200 to benefit from Ceres housing project

It is anticipated that in excess of 200 beneficiaries will move into their new homes in the Vredebes Housing Project in Ceres within the next few weeks. This is within the Witzenberg municipal area. We are looking forward to sharing this exciting life changing experience with our beneficiaries.

Due to Alert level five/lockdown, houses could not be handed over to beneficiaries sooner, and I am pleased now that 205 beneficiaries will soon become new homeowners. A further 24 is being processed, to ensure they meet the qualification criteria. Our particular focus is on the most vulnerable and needy in our communities to ensure they are prioritised for housing opportunities.

I intend visiting the area to meet some of the beneficiaries, as the current regulations do not allow us to have large public engagements for a formal handover to occur.

I have written to the Witzenberg municipality to request that they fast track their administrative processes, which includes the vetting of their beneficiaries, so that the 205 beneficiaries can swiftly take occupancy of their homes. It is critical that the move occurs before 7 June, as this is the cut-off date set out in national regulations for the moving of premises.

I’ve also instructed my Department to finalise the vetting of the additional 24 potential beneficiaries, through the Housing Subsidy System (HSS),

The 205 approved beneficiaries hail from communities within the Witzenberg municipal area, including Nduli, Belle Vista, Op die Berg, Prince Alfred’s Hamlet, Tulbagh, Slanghoek and Ceres-town.

The Witzenberg municipal area has 178 positive COVID-19 cases. After the Cape Metro, this is the second highest municipal infection rate in the Western Cape.

As part of our fight against COVID-19, which has placed our country in an unprecedented challenging period, we have to ensure these beneficiaries take immediate occupancy of their homes. This will assist in maintaining social distancing, while strengthening the practice of effective and good hygiene.

As the Western Cape Government, we remain committed to accelerating human settlement delivery, while promoting social inclusion through the development of integrated, resilient, safe and sustainable human settlements in an open opportunity society.