The metro’s plans of 2014 to build low-cost housing in the area have finally materialised.
Metro spokesman Themba Gadebe says phase one started in January and will be completed at the end of October.
Phase one consists of the repairs on remedial work on the existing water and sanitation infrastructure, which has been in place for the past three years, as well as the construction of roads and storm water infrastructure.
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“This will be implemented during the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 financial years,” says Gadebe.
Phase two will include the construction of the subsidised houses and is projected to be completed during the 2018/2019 financial year.
Gadebe says 1 097 houses, each 40 square metres, will be built, and they will be fitted with toilets.
Siyabonga Ngwenya, community liaison officer, says the community can finally see light at the end of the tunnel.
“We are all very happy that construction has started and look forward to the low-cost houses,” he says.
Ward councillor Dean Stone says the start of construction means “we are moving in the right direction”.
The plan was for the metro to construct toilets and then move the residents from Gugulethu and Everest to the area, but still staying in shacks.
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“I’m glad that this is no longer the case, as I understand that residents will only be moved there after the RDP houses have been built,” he says.
The beneficiaries are residents from Gugulethu and Everest who submitted their names for the RDP development.
Stone says the current contractor was appointed to break down the old toilets and to construct infrastructure such as roads and storm water drains.
Thabo Matseba, site construction manager, says they were supposed to start with construction in 2016, but due to protests they had to postpone the construction date.
They demolished the existing toilets and started construction in January.
“Excavation of the roads started and all roads will have kap inlets, better known as storm water drains,” he says.
He says they are moving at a fast pace and are trying their best to meet the October deadline.
