The Gauteng provincial government unveiled its mega housing development programme in Alexandra to deal with the nagging demand for accommodation.
The programme will involve the construction of high-rise structures. The buildings are expected to accommodate more people in limited spaces. The initiative will be implemented in various areas in the province and will commence with unfinished developments in Alex such as Riverpark’s 2010 Housing Project flats. The 5th Avenue Ext 31 housing project units, which were left incomplete by the Joburg Development Agency (then Alexandra Renewal Project), will also be completed.
Launching the programme, MEC for Human Settlement, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Jacob Mamabolo, attributed the incompletion of these projects to limited supervisory capacity in the department and the liquidation of contracted companies before completing the work.
Mamabolo also disclosed that a long-outstanding audit report on the Alex housing saga would be released in the next few weeks.
Councillor Monde Mbingeleli said a contractor for the Ext 31 project had been appointed while a team of experts would determine the feasibility and cost of the completion of the Riverpark project. He added that there would be benefits to residents through employment on these projects.
