To date, 2 760 deserving and qualifying beneficiaries have moved into their brand-new homes in the Forest Village Housing Development in Eersteriver. This brings me great joy as it means that more families have remarkably improved living conditions.
The Forest Village Housing Development has benefited residents from across the Cape Metropole. 579 of these residents are N2 Gateway beneficiaries, 508 are from the Southern Corridor, 155 are Priority Cases and 1 518 are from the local area, which includes Eersteriver, Eersteriver South, Electric City, Faure, Dreamworld, Blue Downs, Malibu Village, Kleinvlei, Rosedale, Mfuleni and Fairdale.
As the Western Cape Government, our commitment is to ensure that more of our residents, especially those who are most vulnerable, live in improved and safer conditions. It is important to us that a tangible difference is made. It is for this reason that we prioritise the elderly, persons living with medically certified disabilities, those that have been on the Housing Demand Database (HDD) for 15 years and longer as well as our backyard dwellers.
Mr Angelo De Vos (46) and his wife, Mrs Diana De Vos (44), who are beneficiaries from Ward 17 said: “We are extremely proud and happy to finally have our own space. Having been on the housing waiting list for 15 years, and also living as backyard dwellers has not been easy but having received this house makes it worthwhile. We are truly grateful for this opportunity. I’d like encourage those who are still waiting for their housing opportunity to be patient and to not lose hope.”
We implore all beneficiaries to value their new asset and take care of it. They should also draft a will, so that a legacy is left behind for their children.
Beneficiaries must not consider renting or selling the property, as doing so would suggest that they never had a housing need to start with. It is important to note that should a beneficiary wish to sell the property within the first 8 years after receiving the property, compelling reasons for the sale would be required, permission from the State is needed, while Government should be given the first opportunity.
Forest Village is one of the Department’s Catalytic Projects, which commenced in January 2016 and has a budget allocation of R1.1billion. This mixed-use development consists of various types of units to cater for beneficiaries of different income levels and specific needs such as Military Veterans, Breaking New Ground (BNG) and Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP) units.
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
Marcellino Martin
Spokesperson for Minister Tertuis Simmers
Tel: 021 483 3397
Mobile: 082 721 3362
Email: Marcellino.martin@westerncape.gov.za
or
Nathan Adriaanse
Director Communication & Stakeholder Relations
Tell: 021 483 2868
Mobile: 083 2631720
Email: Nathan.Adriaanse@westerncape.gov.za