By David Masango
THE Eastern Cape government will disburse soon over R135 million to address housing problems and other services in the Nelson Mandela Metro.
This followed recent protests in the Port Elizabeth area that saw angry residents burning tyres and blocking main roads, prompting Premier Nosimo Balindlela's to intervene immediately.
Coming out of a lengthy meeting between herself, the provincial Executive Council (EXCO) and the Metro's Mayoral Committee yesterday, Ms Balindlela said R116 million of the amount would be used to finance current housing projects in the Metro.
About R12.2 million would be availed for Geo-technical allowance as well as R7.5 million for the unblocking of blocked projects.
Premier Balindlela said the parties had also agreed that there was an urgent need to investigate and rectify areas of poor workmanship.
"To specifically find the solution to the current problem we have resolved that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Traditional Affairs should go back to the drawing board and ensure that an amount of R16 million that was earmarked for the Walmer Areas A and B, and Kleinskool Area K will be released within a period of three weeks," she added.
The Premier said the Department of Housing, Local Government and Traditional Affairs had appointed four project managers to ensure that good quality housing developments took place in the Metro.
"My MECs and I have come to the Mandela Metro to work with the Executive Mayor [Nceba Faku] to find a solution to the housing problems facing our people," the Premier said, adding that they had noted that housing was not only a problem for the Mandela Metro, but also for the province in general.
In this regard, Ms Balindlela said her government had resolved that a technical working committee that was established; comprising senior officials from the Metro and the provincial department of housing, local government and traditional affairs, ought to strengthen working relations and strategise proactively to ensure that challenges like the current ones were avoided.
Ms Balindlela has appealed to the public, particularly those in Mandela Metro, to remain calm while government was trying to resolve their problems.
"I want to assure them that we shall not abandon the poor," the Premier vowed.
Meanwhile, Deputy Executive Mayor Bicks Ndoni revealed that officials had just completed an investigation into alleged discrepancies in the awarding of tenders for low-cost housing that was launched in December.
He said the report was filed a week ago and would be tabled before the full council at the next council meeting on May 25 and 26.
Source: BuaNews
Read more
