Development standing still

POLOKWANE – The promise of a sustainable integrated housing development in Diemeer Street seems to be on hold as the site looked overgrown and unattended when Review visited the area.

In 2005 the department of cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs (Coghsta) embarked on an ambitious housing program in the city.

The vision for extension 100 was to create a housing development where people from disadvantaged economic backgrounds could rent or own a home in the prestigious Bendor area.

The project was started in 2007 following the acquisition of the land.

A land development agreement between Coghsta, Thubelisha and the National Housing Finance Corporation was entered into, but due to changes to several important institutional arrangements, this agreement was terminated.

For continuity, Coghsta entered into an agreement with the Housing Development Agency (HDA) to act as implementing agents on the development.

Roads and storm water drainage systems’ construction at extension 100 commenced in June 2012 and was completed by June last year.

The contractors were recalled in January to complete parking bays for the housing units.

The contractor, Mabone Construction, was awarded the tender for the top structures in November 2012, but when approached for information on when the top-structure building would commence, Mahamed Kalla’s, their spokesperson, said they were waiting for Coghsta before they could start building.

Coghsta spokesperson, Motupa Selomo, said the department was still waiting for the final business plan from the contractor and that the building can only start once the plan had been approved by the department.

According to Breggie Viviers of the HDA, the HDA was the implementing agent for the extension 100 development as part of the agency’s Medium Term Operational Plan in Limpopo.

She said the top-structure developer was responsible for the financial cross-subsidisation arrangements and will engage with the province, a social housing institution and financial institutions to ensure that this process goes smoothly.

The housing units are set to range between 47m2 and 70m2 per unit within the security village.

The site is situated in DieMeer and De Wet Avenue.

Since the handing over of the site in January by contractors L & A construction after finishing the parking areas, the area has been left to be overgrown.

Neither the contractor nor the department were willing to give feedback on the progress of the building of the top structures for extention 100.

The only construction in sight was the small security house and a outside toilet hidden under bushes and undergrowth of over a meter tall.