KwaDukuza mayor Siduduza Gumede has pledged to fast-track a long-delayed housing project in Stanger Manor.

Speaking at a public meeting in the suburb last Sunday, Gumede promised that construction of 590 houses in the Shakaspring Subsidised Housing Project would move forward without further delays.

The announcement has raised hopes among residents who have long called for formal housing and improved living conditions.

He said the municipality will urgently reconstitute the project steering committee to strengthen oversight and accountability.

“This informal community will never be the same again, as hundreds will benefit through the accelerated human settlements delivery approach. We are expediting processes, and we will no longer accept delays,” he said.

The project has been included in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for years, and the municipality acquired the land in 2014; however, a number of factors have caused delays.

The Shakaspring development is expected to benefit residents from Wards 5, 17 and 18, with a planning budget of R1.5-million.

Once completed, families currently living in informal settlements in Stanger Manor will be relocated to the new housing site.

Beyond housing, the project will include key infrastructure and community facilities such as open spaces, a conservation area, a community hall, an early childhood development (ECD) centre, roads, bulk water supply, a reservoir and a place of worship.

The project is at consultative stage, allowing community input before construction begins.