More houses for Mfuleni community

Mayor Patricia de Lille with contractors and members of the community visited the new housing site in Mfuleni.

The days of living in damp shacks without electricity and too few toilets to share will soon be a thing of the past for 1 043 families from the Extension 2 informal settlement in Mfuleni.

The residents are set to get new brick homes from a multimillion-rand housing development currently under way, along Spine Road.

Work on the site began in October last year and the development is expected to be completed by the end of January next year.

During a site visit on Monday February 19, Mayor Patricia de Lille expressed her happiness about the project. She said the continuation of the project was as a result of a “great collaboration” between the various players.

She said the project was not being built in isolation. She said it formed part of the City’s broader development of Mfuleni.

“I’m really pleased to report that over 1 000 Mfuleni families will soon be moving into fully serviced plots as the City of Cape Town is making progress in the construction of the sites. The project will deliver sites with water, sanitation and electricity for 1 043 families. The contractor has already completed the bulk earthworks and is currently installing sewer and stormwater pipes along with manholes. The project is due for completion by the end of the year,” she said.

She added that a further 50 sites will be allocated to people with disabilities in Bardale, Mfuleni and surrounds.

The mayor said when the process has been completed, the title deeds for the land will be transferred to the beneficiaries as the owners of the homes.

The City said other projects for Mfuleni include the Blue Berry Hill Project, which will deliver 3 500 housing opportunities; the electrification of 11 informal settlements in Mfuleni; five People’s Housing Process (PHP) projects that will deliver 1 062 units; and installation of taps, gullies and toilets at seven informal settlements.

The mayor said the aim is to improve people’s lives.

She also urged the community to keep up the good relationship with sub-council officials and the councillors to ensure plans can be implemented without delay. She committed herself and the City to working with residents to ensure that the projects is a success and would improve the lives of the beneficiaries.

The Mfuleni Extension 2 project was initiated in 2013 when the City signed an agreement with representatives from the community and a budget was set aside to continue with the work. However, work was halted in 2015 due to protests and vandalism. The mayor worked with residents, community leaders and councillors to get the project up and running again.

Garden City informal settlement resident, Nolwando Yisa, said she had been waiting for a house for 20 years.

She said she arrived in the area in 1999 while others were already living there . She said it was a relief to hear she would no longer have to run around when there was a fire and during the rainy seasons.

“This news is long overdue to many of us. We have been struggling in winter, summer, in fact, at any given time of the year. Life in the shacks has never been easy and it will never be easy. I am happy and grateful,” she said.

Mfuleni Broader Committee chairperson, Nkokheli Ncambele, assured Ms De Lille that as the leaders, they would make sure that the project continue undisturbed.