LEANDRA – Govan Mbeki Municipality residents received their title deeds from the Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlement on Friday, 23 April.
These title deeds were handed over by the MEC for the Department of Human Settlement, Mr Speedy Mashilo, and Govan Mbeki Municipality executive mayor, Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma.
Before going to Leandra, the MEC began with a briefing at the council chambers where councillors, members of the mayoral committee and the executive mayor were questioned about the projects and on how the municipality used the money they have received from the Department of Human Settlement and Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG).
The department was not impressed at how the municipality spends its grants.
The department presented a progress report on all projects they implemented in the Govan Mbeki Municipality and challenges that are affecting various projects.
There are delays in the renovation of the old Tsalanang Hostel units in eMbalenhle that are to be turned into community residential units (CRUs).
Current residents refuse to vacate the hostel.
Strike actions by the residents led to the blockages of the project, and delays in relocating residents from the old hostel to the newly built units are preventing the Govan Mbeki Housing Association to proceed with the municipality’s eviction order.
The department said that at eMzinoni, they were able to demolish the old hostel and construct 182 new CRUs.
The project was implemented in phases as a multi-year project.
Phase one with 78 residential units was completed during the 2014/2015 financial year.
The second phase of the project was initiated during the 2019/2020 financial year, however, there were court issues that were only finalised in the 2020/2021 financial year.
Mr Mashilo warned the municipality that if they failed to complete projects that are funded by the department, they must know that the department will take back the money and use it elsewhere.
Councillors told the MEC various forums resort to boycotting projects if their demands of employment or business opportunities are not met.
The MEC told councillors that in every project, there must be a steering committee that will oversee all community needs, such as employment and business opportunities for the locals.
He said councillors should form part of those steering committees.
Mr Mashilo also emphasised the issue of 30 per cent local procurement in every project that is coming to the community.
Other challenges outlined by the department is community disruption of sewer projects like the construction of a bulk sewer outfall line in Kinross Ext 30.
The MEC also visited three people in their homes to hand over title deeds. Community members told the MEC that they don’t have a place to stay as some are renting rooms, but the MEC responded and said as the government they are still negotiating with landowners because they understand that people want land.
