West housing project launched

A housing project in the west of Pretoria was officially launched this week. The Letsema Project was launched by Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa at the Gomorrah informal settlement on Monday. Mokgalapa said the project was established to expedite the upgrading of Pretoria’s informal settlements.

“This means residents will have better quality access to services such as water, sewer, electricity, roads and storm water,” he said.

He said this latest development in the metro’s service delivery mission was one that he had prioritised to ensure that residents were afforded a better quality of life.

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“Under this programme, a multidisciplinary special task team will work with the immediate objective to promote the security of tenure for all beneficiaries in the townships concerned,” he said.

“This will be done by relocating beneficiaries to pegged and serviced stands and promoting sustainable settlements with all the required amenities.”

Mokgalapa said while residents of Booysens extension 4 were the focus Monday, other informal settlements, such as Mabopane, Atteridgeville, Mamelodi and Olievenhoutbosch, to name a few, would see similar improvements.

He said upon the completion of the upgrades, the development would consist 1 185 units comprising 481 serviced stands and 704 affordable rental units.

“To date, 481 households have been relocated to the stands,” he said.

“The metro has appointed a contractor to install the required services and the project is progressing well on site.”

Mokgalapa said the scope of work comprised of the construction of a 30 mega-litre reservoir, 5 500km bulk water feeder line, 6 600km of water reticulation and 15 700km of sewer reticulation.

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He said the completion date was expected to be 19 March 2021.

“The construction of roads and stormwater will follow in the subsequent years leading to the proclamation and opening of the township,” he said.

“This is when the title deeds will be issued to beneficiaries.” He said the provision of services meant that the dignity of some of the “most indigent communities” was restored through homeownership.

“Having a place to call home through issuing title deeds is an essential factor to undoing some of the injustices of the past which have contributed to unrelenting poverty,” he said.

“I remain committed to the mandate I’ve been given to serve residents of this city.” Local ward councillor of the ward, Frik van Wyk, said he was happy that the project was officially opened.

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He was also present during the opening on Monday. “In 2015, when I was chosen as ward councillor, the informal settlements were my biggest challenge,” he said.

“I had to put out many fires since and today, I am glad that the housing project has officially opened.”

Van Wyk said it would be beneficial to all residents when the project was completed.

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