New era for Joe Slovo housing project

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Pretoria - Housing Minister Tokyo Sexwale said today marked the beginning of an important turn around in the troubled Joe Slovo housing project in the Western Cape.

"We can say for sure that Joe Slovo will never be the same again," said Sexwale at the sod-turning ceremony at Phase Three of the housing project near Langa, Cape Town.

Phase Three is expected to be completed in 2012 and well over 2 000 families will be serviced by the double story units.

"The launch of this project today, also demonstrates the interconnectedness of informal settlements upgrading programme and the provision of subsidies to the most destitute and vulnerable members of society," said Sexwale, adding that 400 000 households in informal settlements needed to be upgraded by 2014. 

The minister said 2 886 units were going to be built over 24 months at a cost of R374 million. 

The Joe Slovo housing project has seen its share of upheaval. In June 2009, after a series of protests by disgruntled residents, the Constitutional Court made a judgment in favor of orderly evictions of the people of Joe Slovo, in order for development to take place. - BuaNews