The MEC of Human Settlements Ntombi Mekgwe recently handed over the keys to newly built homes to 120 households in the Ethembalethu ecovillage in Muldersdrift.
The community of Ethembalethu formed the Muldersdrift Home Trust Foundation (MHTF) in 1996 so that they could buy land to build their own homes.
Mekgwe said the community must continue to be as disciplined as they have been and protect their homes.
“When there is peace and stability it is easy for government to bring services to the area and as a community you will benefit immensely,” she said.
Mekgwe announced that Mogale City municipality was going to start constructing roads and install electricity in the next few months. The City had put aside a budget to establish a park for the community.
The handover coincided with the sod-turning of the new park and the construction of roads.
Thabo Rabapane, secretary for the MHTF said it was difficult to hide their excitement as they were celebrating the organisation’s 18th birthday.
“We established this organisation after we had realised that our government was faced with a huge task of reconstructing and developing the country. We knew we couldn’t wait for government to come and take us out of backyard rooms and shacks, but needed to stand up and do something to help ourselves,” he said.
Rabapane said that on three occasions the organisation tried to buy land but the deals were cancelled because land owners opposed them.
“We did not want to take any chances the fourth time around, so we approached government to assist in purchasing the land, which was priced at R645 000. Finally the provincial Department of Land Reform transferred money to Mogale City to purchase the land on our behalf,” he said.
One of the housing beneficiaries, 79-year-old Elsie Pule said that finally she was enjoying the fruits of democracy. She and her family had been living on farms for the past 38 years and were evicted whenever the farm was sold.
“I now have a place of my own. No one will evict me here and my family now has a home,” she said.
Mogale City acting Executive Mayor and also MMC of Human Settlements, David Letsie said he was happy that government could fulfil its promise to the community.
“In April 2012 we were here for a sod-turning ceremony and some did not have faith in us. Exactly two years later we were back to deliver on the promise we made,” Letsie concluded.
