The Daveyton backyard dwellers have expressed joy now that the Ekurhuleni metro has resumed the process to handover serviced stands in Daveyton Extension 14.
MMC for Human Settlements Clr Lesiba Mpya handed more than 35 serviced stands to deserving beneficiaries on March 9.
“The stands are ready for occupation; they are equipped with flushing ablution facilities, solar geysers and bulk municipal services.
“Other services like electricity will be provided as part of the metro’s electrification programme. Furthermore, the beneficiaries will also have access to roads,” explained Mpya.
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He said the stand allocation was a turning point towards a better life for many residents who have been renting backyard rooms for many years in the area.
The metro implemented the serviced stands programme aimed at reducing the massive RDP house backlog and upgrading the lives of those who are backyard dwellers.
The Daveyton Ext 14 serviced stand project has yielded 483 serviced stands and 96 per cent of them are ready for occupation.
The stands have title deeds that will be handed over to the beneficiaries to secure their right of ownership.
One of the dwellers, Thabile Marasela, said the article published in the City Times’ March 5 edition helped them.
“We have had two successful meetings with Mpya and he listened to our concerns and we also listened to his suggestions,” said Marasela.
“The dwellers are happy with the progress and the fact that the children of Daveyton are benefiting and not just some people from other areas.”
Marasela said on the day of the allocation, Mpya spoke to the residents with respect and he was welcomed with open arms.
The spokesperson of the Daveyton dwellers, Lali Sikhosana, said she is part of the allocation team and they will make sure that only the community members from the area benefit from these serviced stands.
“However, we are happy that what we have been fighting for is finally yielding fruitful results,” said Sikhosana.
“We are still encouraging those who haven’t registered for houses with the Department of Human Settlement to do so because you will not get a house or a serviced stand if you’re not in their system.”
She added some people registered for houses in 1996 but are still waiting. These are some of the issues they still need to resolve.
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