Residents of Zakhele (Extension 13 in Ikageng) were given new hope with the announcement of a R 230 million housing project that aims to construct 1 075 low-cost housing homes.

This project, which was unveiled on Friday, March 13, is scheduled to commence in April 2026 with a projected finish in the pipeline around December 2027.

The North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Gaoage Molapisi, the Speaker of the JB Marks Municipality, Rosy Dassie, and various ward councillors addressed the crowd.

The MMC for Environment, Water and Sanitation, Cllr Ishmael Moilwa, was standing in for Executive Mayor Gaba Thithiba ka Qhele, who was not able to attend on the day.

One of the main aims of the announcement was to unveil the three contractors who will lead the project. Sogane Trading & Enterprise, Tshepo Ya Rona Trading, and Gao Trading & Projects will be tasked with the construction of the houses.

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The number of houses built will be divided between the three contractors. Two contractors were allocated 358 houses, and one allocated 359 houses for the project. According to the MEC this project will also benefit the community through the use of sub-contractors and SMME’s.

In the past decade various communities in Ikageng as well as Promosa had voiced the need for increased housing and improved service delivery.

“The main problem in Potchefstroom and here in Ikageng is the lack of available land. That is why we sometimes have to purchase land from a private farmer if we want to relocate people. The area also has a lot of dolomite,” stated MEC Molapisi.

“We said during the budget speech that we want to utilise 80% of the budget to address the backlog. It does not make sense to construct new houses until we address the current backlog. We must prioritise child-headed households, pensioners, and people with disabilities. Anyone above the required age can apply for housing, but our priority is to focus on these groups.”

ANC Ward 26 councillor Tau Mogorosi stated that he is aware of challenges that could affect the project, such as the double allocation of stands.

“There are also residents who have built shacks in the centre of stands. People will be required to remove their structures to make space for the houses. I have already convened a meeting with the community to address these concerns.”