KwaDukuza – KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Human Settlements, Ravi Pillay has urged KwaDukuza community to be more patient adding that not everyone can get a house at the same time.
“We can’t do it for everyone at the same time but step by step we are changing peoples’ lives. Everybody will get a house but we have to prioritize,” said Pillay.
He was speaking during an event held on Sunday at eThembeni Sportsfield to mark government's National Imbizo Focus Week, which stared earlier this week.
The aim of imbizos is to mobilise the support of communities to play their part and implement the National Development Plan, and support government’s commitments as announced by President Jacob Zuma during the State of the Nation Address in February.
During the engagement, most of the issues raised by the community were almost similar and included the delay in getting houses.
The community also urged government to prioritize orphans when identifying housing beneficiaries.
MEC Pillay assured the community that all issues raised were recorded and will be taken to national government and responded to.
He said that where there are genuine complaints, these would be corrected. He also warned that government will not tolerate bribery and corruption.
Also responding to the request by small businesses to be assisted with work, Pillay announced that next month the Provincial Department of Economic Development will hold a Procurement Indaba, where the issues of small businesses have been put on the agenda.
Earlier in the day, Pillay accompanied by leadership from provincial and local government, handed over four houses to senior citizens in the Groutville Priority 2 Project.
About R182 million has been spent on Groutville Priority 2 Project. Up to 2000 beneficiaries have been identified and will receive houses under the project.
Handing over the houses to the beneficiaries, Pillay said he was happy with the progress of the project adding that the houses are of a quality standard.
“This is a victory for corporative government. We are delighted with the quality of the work we are seeing here, I think we have raised the bar in terms of the quality of houses,” said MEC Pillay.
KwaDukuza Municipality Mayor, Njabulo Mthembu expressed his appreciation to Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, President Jacob Zuma as well as provincial and local government for working together with KwaDukuza Municipality to change the lives of people.
“The area was full of informal settlements but now it has descent houses for people and it all thanks to the national Government,” said Mthembu.
One of the beneficiaries, 76-year-old Alzina Masango was sharing a one room shack with her 14 grandchildren before she received her new house. She couldn’t stop thanking the government for the house.
“I thought I would die without having my own house. The shack I was staying in was leaking and got flooded every time when it’s raining. Thanks to the democratic government, I’m now a house owner with full furniture,” said an emotional Masango. – SAnews.gov.za
