North West govt to build 2 000 houses in Klerksdorp

Monday, April 6, 2009

Klerksdorp - The North West Local Government and Housing is expected to provide 2 000 housing units to families living in Extension 3 and 22 in the Matlosana Local Municipality.

Launching the R98.3 million housing project on Friday, MEC Howard Yawa said 559 houses are already being built, as part of the project, which is expected to be completed by June this year.

MEC Yawa said government is determined to improve the quality of the lives of the people through housing provision.

"We will not rest until we have eradicated all informal settlement and have provided decent housing including rental housing to all of our people.

"We are on track in the North West and still determined and committed to offer our people houses especially those who are living in the very poorest conditions in the province," he said.

MEC Yawa highlighted that the province will continue to work in partnership with various stakeholders to accelerate the delivery of houses.

The launch coincided with the celebration of the Masizakhe Women's Group which celebrated its 10 years of existence.

The Masizakhe Women's Group, made up of more than 500 women, are responsible for constructing and delivering houses to communities in Klerksdorp.

MEC Yawa said his department was committed to capacitate women developers and contractors because they believe that women are an indispensable part of any transformation process.

He said: "the Masizakhe Women's group has managed to demystify the myth that a women's place is in the kitchen by winning the best Performing Women in Housing Awards at our inaugural 2008 Govan Mbeki Awards."

Ntombiekaya Ngxingo, Chairperson of the Masizakhe Women's Group expressed gratitude over their achievement and the support that they were receiving from government.

"We are very excited and proud about what we have achieved so far as women especially about the houses that we have built for our members.

"We also want to thank the department for assisting us in the delivery of these houses and also for showing confidence in us as women," she said.

One of the beneficiaries of the houses, Elizabeth Nko, 50, from Extension 17 in the Matlosana also expressed gratitude about her new house.

"I am happy that the house belongs to me and I look forward to live peacefully and comfortably in my new home.

"I am proud to be associated with the Mazhizake's Women's Group which has assisted me to get out of a shack and get a house of my own," she told BuaNews