Western Cape MEC hosts National Minister of Human Settlements

The Western Cape MEC of Human Settlements Tertuis Simmers, hosted the National Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and her Deputy Minister Pamela Tshwete during their 2-day visit to the province. The visit commenced in the Garden Route, on Tuesday, 18 January, followed by the City of Cape Town on Wednesday the 19th.

Both days included engagements with relevant provincial and local government officials. In the Garden Route,  visits were conducted at the 

1. Qolweni Phase 1 construction site, where conducted at a bricklaying session led by female sub-contractor Ms Phumla Lombo from Khollie and Sons. The project is expected to hand over the first batch of keys to beneficiaries end of March 2022. 
2. At Witlokasie in Knysna, to showcase the Province’s adequate response to the December 2017 fire disaster, with the installation of the Alternative Building Technology(ABT) units. The National Home Builders Registration Council indicated their interest in evaluating and adopting the usage of these ABT units in other provinces.
3. A title deed handover was conducted at the Syferstontein Erf 325, in George, where 10 beneficiaries became first-time legal homeowners 
4. This was followed by a visit to the Mountain-view construction site in Mossel Bay accompanied by two women sub-contractors from WBJH Trading and LFH Handy Services and finally a walkabout and community engagement in Wolwedans Mossel Bay. Included as part of the delegation at these site visits was Cllr Memory Booysen as well as the Executive Mayors of Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, George and Mossel Bay.  

Day 2 of the visit, which was in the Cape Metro, on Wednesday 19th, commenced with a visit to Masiphumelele, the N2 Gateway in Langa, Boystown in Crossroads as well as other projects such as the New Woodlands/ Kosovo Farm 964 housing project which is anticipated to handover its first batch of houses at the end of the first quarter of 2022.

Here are some of the commitments and resolutions reached during the two-day visit: 

1. All three spheres of government will work together in the delivery of houses for the people of the Western Cape.
2. The Garden Route District Municipality to meet with the officials from National, Province, Local Municipalities and SHRA, to discuss a clear plan on Social Housing development in the District.
3. All three spheres of government, led by the Mosselbay Municipality, to meet before the end of this month and develop a credible plan to address challenges experienced by Wolwedans housing beneficiaries, situated on the slope land. This will be preceded by an urgent meeting between the Municipality and the affected community with regards to the matter of eviction letters issued. The three spheres are to convene a meeting with the community towards the end of February and outline way forward.
4. National, Province and the City of Cape Town to work together and secure social facilitation for the community of Masiphumelele, aimed at unifying the local leadership in that community.
5. The City of Cape Town to speed up the remedial work in the Joe Slovo Phase one flats.
6. The National Minister for Human Settlements, working with other sister departments, to intervene to secure the Ithemba labs near Bosasa Temporary Relocation Area, for housing development.
7. Coordination by all three spheres of government in addressing basic service challenges in the informal settlements within the City of Cape Town.

MEC Tertuis Simmers said; “I'd like to express our gratitude to the National Minister and the National Deputy, for visiting our province. The two days presented us with the opportunity to showcase some of our projects in the City of Cape Town. As highlighted by the National Minister, there’s a lot we can be proud of, however, there are certain areas that require attention. As the Western Cape, we’re committed to further strengthening what we’re doing well, while also addressing the challenges we’re currently facing.

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”