Land at the top end of Fitzroy Street has been set aside to build flats as a part of a new low-cost housing scheme.
Land at the top end of Fitzroy Street has been set aside to build flats as a part of a new low-cost housing scheme.
Makana council has approved a plan to build the rental accommodation for middle-income earners who do not qualify for government low-cost housing.
An application was sent to the provincial department of Housing last week for the Community Development Unit (CRU) programme.
The objective of the CRU programme is to provide rental accommodation for lower income groups not viably serviced by the social or other housing programmes.
While Makana Municipality has not yet provided details of the planned structures, similar projects in Port Elizabeth and East London have comprised a mixture of two-bedroom apartments, one-bedroom apartments and bachelor flats and include social amenities.
The scheme was introduced amid some controversy, with technical and Infrastructure services staff suggesting that there was municipal land available for a programme of that nature.
Some councillors opposed the move, however, saying that the land should be used as a Multi Purpose Centre for the community.
Technical and Infrastructure services director Thembinkosi Myalato told councillors that this programme would benefit many residents who needed accommodation.
"This is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity. If we delay this we are not going to get this chance again," said Myalato, adding that in the Eastern Cape, the CRU programme had to this point only been implemented in metropolitan municipalities.
The land proposed for the development is situated at the corner of Currie and Fitzroy streets, where Ward 3 councillor Marcelle Booysen has an office.
The building has been vandalised and looted in the past.
Supporting the move, Councillor Nomhle Gaga pointed out to councillors that middle-income earners also belonged in Makana and needed to be catered for.
"It must not be made a sin to be a middle-income earner. Councillors were sent to Fish River Sun on a workshop about CRU and they agreed that this was a good thing for Makana," she said.
This group of people is excluded from access to RDP housing, based on their income. "These people are prepared to rent, they don't qualify for RDP and they end up being backyard dwellers," Gaga said.
Myalato said the identified land has services already.
"The water and electricity connection is already there. All we need is to build the units," he said.
Municipal spokesperson Mncedisi Boma told Grocott's Mail that the application for CRU had been sent to the Department of Human Settlement.
Boma said around 12 000 are registered for housing in Makana and the Mayfield project will provide only around 2 000 houses.
"There is a huge housing backlog in Makana and any infrastructure development which can address it is much appreciated," Boma said.
