Community threaten action if houses are not built
Mr Thompson told the Courier that the allocation of housing had been done very fairly and transparently in terms of legislation and there had been no favouritism that has been the hallmark of other housing projects in the area.
Strong action will be taken should the deadlock over the construction of new houses not be broken.
This was the sentiment at a feisty community meeting to discuss the delay of the building of houses in Forestdale, Dlamini Village and Craigiside last Saturday. Mitchell Thompson, Housing Committee chairman, told a crowd of around 100 that ‘they had hit a dyke as far as the construction of 217 houses in Forestdale is concerned.’
“Mazcon Construction has done the civil work in the area now the houses have to be built.
“But a contractor has not been appointed and we are afraid that if this does not happen soon, the money will be sent back to the Province and used for something else,” he said.
Civil work started in 2016, he said, and the community ‘is tired of waiting for houses’.
“We know that there has been a power shift in the Municipality since 2016 but still why must wait so long? We have asked the Municipality for answers but no one comes back to us,” he said.
There was a subsequent meeting at the Municipality on Thursday to discuss the housing crisis.
Mr Thompson highlighted the stumbling blocks that are stopping the building of houses – obstacles, which he says, should have been sorted out long ago.
“These include the Eskom overhead power lines over the housing area which should have been removed but have not. Three graves still have to be relocated. A cattle kraal must also be shifted.”
He added that temporary homes had been built in Dlamini Village while shacks are demolished to make way for the new houses but there has been no feedback.
The issue of a wetland was holding up progress in Craigside.
Many in the audience said Mazcon had a ‘good track record in the area having built good homes in the new extensions and having already done the civil work in Forestdale’.
It was said that ‘politics was interfering with the appointment of a contractor and people in Forestdale were tired of being taken for granted’.
“They know we do not protest that’s why they mess us around. We must change that,” said one fed-up woman who declined to have her name published. Mr Thompson said he wanted the community to guide the elected Housing Committee on what should be done.
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Those in the meeting called for a letter to be written expressing their concerns and should the authorities fail to answer within seven days, they would take action. Mr Thompson told the Courier that the allocation of housing had been done very fairly and transparently in terms of legislation and there had been no favouritism that has been the hallmark of other housing projects in the area.
It is hoped that the meeting held on Thursday will go along way to break the deadlock.
