The Endumeni Municipality has, in partnership with the Department of Human Settlements, made plans to build around 300 new houses in Forestdale.
Council Speaker, Siduduzo Mdluli confirmed this, after stinging criticism from some Forestdale residents who accused the Council of ‘ignoring the community in favour of black Africans’.
“The ward 6 Councillor, T Makhaba, has held meetings in the area to explain to residents that there were some hold-ups that were out of our hands but we hope to have the first houses built before the end of the financial year in June 2016,” Speaker Mdluli told the Courier.
“Our implementing agents, local company Anderson and Vogt, has completed the preliminary designs of the project which will get underway at the old sports ground in Forestdale.”
He denied that the area had been forgotten. “We know the community is frustrated. We urge them to be patient and to know that a lot of work is being done behind the scenes to make this a reality.”
Turning to other housing issues in the municipal area, Speaker Mdluli said the Sithembile project, where 400 units are being built, is ‘about 99% completed’, while phase 2 in Sibongile is also going well, as reported in last week’s Courier.

He admitted that the ‘electrification of these new homes remains a challenge’.

“A tender was awarded to a company to complete the electrification work but there was an objection. This means we have to deal with the objection and go through the processes as laid down by legislation. We hope we can resolve the dispute without having to go to the Provincial treasurer. Once we clear the issue, the electrification programme, funded by the Department of Minerals and Energy, can go ahead.”
Housing schemes are also in the pipeline for Craigside and Dlamini Village which are being ‘packaged’ as one project with the Forestdale development.
Asked about the recent service delivery protest in Wasbank, where angry residents burnt tyres and blocked roads to demand water and electricity, Speaker Mdluli said confusion over the municipal boundary was to blame for a misunderstanding.
“Homes at Ebusi and Kameelkop were electrified but yes, around ten homes were missed out as the company undertaking the project thought some of the homes were in the neighbouring Indaka Municipality and not Endumeni’s responsibility. However, this has been sorted out. It is just unfortunate that some opportunists used this asway of spreading unrest.”