The wait is finally over for a group of people who have recently moved into the new houses in Ext 8.
Messrs Speedy Mashilo, MEC of Human Settlements and Linda Dhlamini, Lekwa Mayor, officially handed over the houses on 29 December last year.
This comes after Mr David Mabuza, Mpumalanga Premier, lashed out at Lekwa and Mbombela Municipalities for the 500 houses and 500 units respectively not occupied.
In a two-day premier’s coordinating forum in Mbombela in October last year, Mr Mabuza demanded answers from the leadership of the two municipalities as to why the houses and hostels were unoccupied by their owners when a number of people had no shelter.
Mr Mabuza demanded that both the houses and the hostels be occupied immediately by their rightful owners.
“People are waiting for their houses and we are failing to explain why they cannot rightfully occupy their homes,” he said.
The municipality, together with the department, began the process of handing over the houses in December last year.
The recipients of some of the houses gathered at the Khunjuliwe Secondary School Hall for Messrs Dhlamini and Mashilo’s address.
They received keys to their houses and and got a chance to view them after the formal address.
They loved what they saw and were joyful that they are finally moving into their houses.
“That fact that I own a house makes me happy, because I have been living in rental accommodation for years,” Mr Zakhele Gama, a recipient, said.
These residents have access to water, but do not have electricity yet.
According to them, the municipality is working on the electricity.
The municipality and the Department of Human Settlements could not comment at the time of going to press.
