Over 1 000 houses for Joe Slovo residents

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu will on Thursday hand over more than 1 000 houses in Joe Slovo West, Zanemvula, in the Eastern Cape.

The Zanemvula Mega Project is an informal settlement upgrading project in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. It is set to build 20 000 housing units over a period of 15 years.

The project involves the relocation of families from the Chatty river flood plain in Soweto-on- Sea and Veeplaas to the greenfield serviced sites of Chatty extensions (5, 12, 13 and 15) and Joe Slovo.

The project was established to address the sustainable human settlements needs of approximately 10 000 families.

Mandela Day

Minister Sisulu on Tuesday handed over houses and interacted with community members at Chatty 491 Military Veterans Project in Port Elizabeth.

“We specifically chose to hand over houses today to indicate to the military veterans, who have waited for so long to benefit, as it resonates with what they went through during the struggle for our freedom.

“In pursuit of integrating South Africans through the creation of sustainable human settlements, we have identified Zanemvula Chatty 491 project to accommodate military veterans in this area,” said Minister Sisulu.

One of the beneficiaries, Wandisile Ngada (71), could not express his joy enough for the new home.

“I am very happy to have received this house as it will help me, my wife and my six kids to have a decent shelter over our heads,” said Ngada.

Ngada joined the Black Consciousness Movement military wing, AZANLA, in 1968. He said he joined the struggle due to the disrespect that was directed at well-educated black people. He could not stand being deprived of political freedom in a country where the majority of people are black.

“I was arrested in 1974, imprisoned at Brandvlei and released in 1981. When I came back home, it was difficult. I could not get a job as I was unskilled and uneducated so I started a chicken selling business,” said Ngada.

As part of a skills development programme, about 44 military veterans have completed a Home Building Skills Course at Chatty 491.

The skills course included the National Home Builders Registration Council legal compliance, foundation building, types of soils and the practical completion of a house. – SAnews.gov.za