Bendor’s Ext 100 ‘in progress’
There are several reasons why building at Bendor Ext 100 has been halted
POLOKWANE – According to the chief financial officer of Mabone Building Contractors, Feroze Kalla, the Bendor Integrated Development Project, otherwise known as Ext 100, is a phased project, and is currently in the first phase.
“Our real estate team, in conjunction with the department, is sifting through a list of prospective buyers to ensure the right people receive houses as beneficiaries fall within the first time home-owners and gap market.”
He said there were processes of elimination of beneficiaries, as well as arranging for financing for the beneficiaries, which are time-consuming processes.
Taking the magnitude of the project and number of people involved into account, this cannot happen overnight.
Of the 3 500 applications received, 239 have been declined due to either rejection of their finance applications or not falling within the correct categories.
A total of 89 beneficiaries have been approved, and there are over 70 active deals. The balance of the 3500 applications are currently being considered and going through the vetting processes.
Non-payment of employees
Kalla refuted allegations of non-payment of employees and that the project was halted by several court cases against the company and the municipality.
“There has been no case against Mabone Building Contractors, and rumours of non-payment are false. Before commencement of the project over 10 years ago, Bendor residents had an issue with the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) houses leg of the development and this section was subsequently dealt with and removed from the project.”
He re-iterated that there had been no issues with unpaid workers. The project was proceeding in full force, with the first phase now being electrified.
The first batch of transfers are expected within six weeks.
Ready for occupation
He added that the project currently had 34 foundations completed, with 19 units complete and ready for occupation as soon as the electricity has been connected.
For this purpose, the Polokwane Municipality needs to approve the new smart meters that will be used in the units, Kalla said.
The total development is 661 houses broken down into five phases, and there will be two and three-bedroom houses ranging between R300 000 and R595 000.
Units include:
• 198 rental units with a size of 45m2 to 52m²
• 180 free standing units with a size of 56m² to 60m²
• 119 free standing units with a size of 65m² to 75m²
• 74 economy town house units with a size of 64m² to 66m²
• 90 luxury town houses 64m² to 66m²
The estimated period of completion of the entire development is 48 months.
