The project, which is meant to see 440 RDP houses built in Transit Camp, has resumed after stalling for about four months due to coffers in the provincial Human Settlement department drying up three months into the project.
The project, which is meant to see 440 RDP houses built in Transit Camp, has resumed after stalling for about four months due to coffers in the provincial Human Settlement department drying up three months into the project.
The project resumed recently after the department settled its debts with the building contractors and building material suppliers. After starting in March, the R15.8 million project came to a halt in June. However, now that construction has resumed contractors are promising that they will finish the work at the end of February next year.
Smuts Madolwana, owner of East London-based Sflurnof Construction said, "We have seen residents destroying their shacks as we demanded space for the new houses, so it bothered me when the project stalled for four months resulting in the suffering of residents when it rains." One of the workers, Thando Fotwana, said that it has been three weeks since they returned to work and that "we are feeling great now".
"We appreciate the money [we earn]because we can buy our children clothes to wear on Christmas Day," he said. The project's Steering Committee leader, Nompumelelo Williams said that the committee fought with the Human Settlement department before it released the funds which allowed the project to resume.
"We fought with the department and forced it to recognise our rights and we have won because today the project has resumed," she explained. "The residents are satisfied that the workers are receiving their money as agreed. We hope the project will be completed within four months and that things will run smoothly towards the finishing."
Makana spokesperson Thandy Matebese referred enquiries to the provincial Human Settlement department. At the time of going to print Ward 5 councillor, Luyanda Nase and Human Settlement spokesperson, Lwandile Sicwetsha said they would comment later.
