Townlands residents urged to pay rent to avoid system collapse
There are currently about 6,000 applications received from potential tenants, according to the department of human settlements.
Residents of Townlands social housing have been urged to pay their rent on time to help keep such project sustainable the long-term.
Ministry of Human Settlements spokesperson Hlengiwe Nhlabathi-Mokota told the residents at the launch of the project on Wednesday, April 10, in Marabastad.
The project is a low-cost housing rental scheme by government to bring people closer to places of employment.
Nhlabathi-Mokota said the project is a significant step towards addressing the housing needs of the community and showing the government’s commitment to resolving the housing backlog.
Minister of Human Settlements Mmamoloko Kubayi said social housing is a valuable intervention to deal with informal settlements, backyard dwelling and unsafe inner-city buildings as it provides an affordable and decent rental option.
She said the project aims to create opportunities for people to stay in safe government-subsidised rental housing closer to work, school, transport nodes and other social amenities.
“The Townlands social housing offers low-cost rental accommodation to qualifying residents of Tshwane, falling in the income band of R1 850 to R22 000 a month,” she said.
She said this initiative enables the residents to live near the city centre, give them access to economic opportunities and addresses the housing backlog in the city.
Image: Supplied.
Makota said the Social Housing Regulatory Agency (SHRA), in partnership with Housing Company Tshwane (HCT), has been instrumental in the development of the project.
“There are currently about 6 000 applications received from potential tenants,” she said.
Tenant and queer activist Lebogang Tlhabane said the development of townlands has brought a sense of safety.
The transgender woman said that as an orphan, she had to move around a lot, and survival on the streets was tough because her safety was compromised.
“I am happy Townlands is my new home, and I will be able to spend Christmas with my baby brother and friends around me,” she said.
Nhlabathi-Mokota said the use of biometrics for access would prevent sub-tenanting and overcrowding.
She said that this will ensure safer communities and align with the Freedom Charter prescripts.
Image: Supplied.
Deputy Minister of Human Settlement, Pam Tshwete said women-owned companies had done the significant work in resolving the housing backlog.
“Today, we see them here, and this should be celebrated,” she said.
Tshwete said in the last financial year, the department spent R3.1 billion as part of the 40% the government has set aside to hire women-owned companies to build houses and help resolve the backlog.
Nhlabathi-Mokota said that three other projects are in the pipeline to deliver over 2000 units in the city and their success depends on beneficiaries meeting their rental obligations
Gauteng MEC for human settlements Lebohang Maile said significant progress in providing shelter for vulnerable people had been made since 1994.
He said about 1.3 million houses had been built in Gauteng since.
“Today we have about two million people in the national housing register, and 1.2 million of those are in the economic hub of Gauteng,” he said.
Tshwane ward 58 councillor Conride Ngoveni was appreciative of the work done.
“Today the government has proven it can deliver,” he said.
Kubayi thanked the three spheres of government for working together with residents, contractors and community leaders to deliver this beautiful project.
She said the department was now focussed on how tenants exited the rental market “because we don’t want them to remain tenants forever”.
Interested individuals can apply for the Townlands accommodation at the HCT at 310 Pretorius Street, Pretoria or call 012 358 4469 for more information.
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