Oudtshoorn, 23 October 2018 – Western Cape Human Settlements Minister, Mr Bonginkosi Madikizela officially handed over houses to Rosevalley residents in Oudtshoorn today.
The delivery of the first twelve units forms part of Rosevalley Phase 3 Breaking New Ground (BNG) Housing Project which consists of 332 housing opportunities. This project in the Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality kicked off in July 2018 and is expected to be completed in March 2019. It will benefit residents living in Oudtshoorn’s informal settlements.
During the handover, Minister Madikizela commended the Municipality for a consistent delivery of houses. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to be here again. It seems as if this is the only place we are building houses in the Western Cape because I’m always in Oudtshoorn. I want to thank all the officials from this municipality because we have seen an acceleration of housing delivery in this municipality.”
Turning to beneficiaries, Minister Madikizela said: “This is not just about handing over of houses to people; we are restoring the dignity of everyone here today and also correcting the injustices of the past. Many of our people were dispossessed of their land; squashed in backyards, some are living in shacks and today. We are here today to say, this is now your home which must be preserved for generations to come.”
“This comes with a title deed so that you can own this property. The fact that we would have built 332 houses is remarkable. As we build these houses, we must ensure that the principle of first come, first served applies. Those who have been waiting the longest must be prioritized when it comes to the allocation of houses,” added Minister Madikizela.
Oudtshoorn mayor Colan Sylvester said: “These houses are part of the same project that has won us (Oudtshoorn Municipality) the Provincial Govan Mbeki Award on the category of Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (UISP). Council is constantly providing housing opportunities to the most deserving beneficiaries. We also want to express our appreciation to Minister Madikizela for playing an important role in ensuring service delivery in the Greater Oudtshoorn.”
One of the beneficiaries, 60-year-old widower, Dirk Stols said: “I feel complete now that I have my own house after struggling for years as a squatter”.
During his address, Ward 6 Councillor, Jerome Lambaatjeen, described the houses as “valuable assets that must be well looked after for generations to come”.
The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Noluthando Mwati thanked all the role players and emphasized that elderly people and people living with disabilities must be at the forefront in the delivery of houses.