Low-cost housing development for Sheffield?
"The concept of mixing high and low income housing areas is so that all levels of society could benefit from each other."
KwaDukuza municipality is considering a housing development project on its land at Sheffield which is constantly being invaded by squatters.
Last week 45 shack houses were built on the land opposite the Sheffield Manor residential apartments.
The upmarket developments of Brettenwood, Zululami and Tongaat Hulett’s Tinley Manor residential project are nearby.
Invaders claimed they had bought the land for R300-R650 a plot.
KDM media liaison officer Sipho Mkhize said they were currently doing feasibility studies on the future use of the land, to ascertain the typology of a development to be undertaken by the municipality on this portion of land.
“There are talks of a housing development however as expressed we have not concluded on the typology, this will be informed by the results of a feasibility study.”
However, DA ward 22 councillor Malcolm Hubner said KDM housing department officials told his ward committee recently about plans to develop formal low-cost housing.
“They have hired an independent investigator to conduct the study which could take a few months to complete. Thereafter there will be a formal environmental impact assessment and then a decision if they should move forward.”
Also read: Land invaders build illegal shacks in Sheffield
Hubner said the concept of mixing high and low income housing areas was so that all levels of society could benefit from each other.
Local architect Jonathan Lever of Archilever said KDM would be doing the community a favour by adopting the forward-thinking concept of integrating communities.
“I do not see a reason why lower income housing should be separated from higher income housing.
“Why should a person travel long distances to work and back every day when they could stay close to where they are employed?
“KwaDukuza is one of the fastest growing municipalities and there is plenty of land on this coastline.
“There is no reason why land cannot be freed up for housing. There is nothing worse for development than having a country that is divided by housing and by wealth because it would just lead to crime, jealousy, and lack of services in some areas. “
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