By DAVID MACGREGOR
Eastern Cape human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August yesterday warned government housing beneficiaries it was illegal to sell their new homes before eight years had passed.
Speaking at the handover of the first four houses in a 564-unit development at Kenton-on-Sea, Sauls-August said she was concerned about allegations that some beneficiaries in the province had sold homes valued at more than R100000 for as little as R5000.
Homeowners were warned not to sell their new houses and keep staying in their shacks as they were unlikely to ever get the same opportunity again.
Instead, Sauls-August urged Kenton-on-Sea seasonal farmworkers and unemployed beneficiaries to be proud of their new homes and to keep them for their children and grandchildren.
She said houses could only be legally sold after eight years and that provincial human settlements needed to approve the transaction. Although only four houses have been completed, a total of 50 will be ready for occupation by month end, with the rest of the 564 completed in phases before the end of January 2018.
Built on “prime property” on the outskirts of Ekuphumleni township, the development on Ndlambe municipal land was hailed as an example of government’s commitment to try to integrate communi ties that were previously divided under apartheid. During the handover, Sauls-August and other officials donned overalls and gloves to paint the exterior of one of the 40m2 two-bedroomed homes.
Sauls-August said priority would be given to the elderly, destitute, disabled and military veterans before allocating them to younger people.
After living her whole life in a shack, 92-year-old Mama Nella Mahinji, said she was counting the days until she moved into her new home that had electricity, a flushing toilet, bath and running water.
“I feel so happy, I have been waiting for many years.”
Provincial human settlements spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said the department planned to build 13180 housing units in the province during the current financial year.
He said over the past five years, they had built 64917 housing units and spent R14-billion in the province.
— davidm@dispatch.co.za
MEC’S plea to homeowners
Eastern Cape human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August yesterday warned government housing beneficiaries it was illegal to sell their new homes before eight years had passed.
Speaking at the handover of the first four houses in a 564-unit development at Kenton-on-Sea, Sauls-August said she was concerned about allegations that some beneficiaries in the province had sold homes valued at more than R100000 for as little as R5000.
Homeowners were warned not to sell their new houses and keep staying in their shacks as they were unlikely to ever get the same opportunity again.
Instead, Sauls-August urged Kenton-on-Sea seasonal farmworkers and unemployed beneficiaries to be proud of their new homes and to keep them for their children and grandchildren.
She said houses could only be legally sold after eight years and that provincial human settlements needed to approve the transaction. Although only four houses have been completed, a total of 50 will be ready for occupation by month end, with the rest of the 564 completed in phases before the end of January 2018.
Built on “prime property” on the outskirts of Ekuphumleni township, the development on Ndlambe municipal land was hailed as an example of government’s commitment to try to integrate communi ties that were previously divided under apartheid. During the handover, Sauls-August and other officials donned overalls and gloves to paint the exterior of one of the 40m2 two-bedroomed homes.
Sauls-August said priority would be given to the elderly, destitute, disabled and military veterans before allocating them to younger people.
After living her whole life in a shack, 92-year-old Mama Nella Mahinji, said she was counting the days until she moved into her new home that had electricity, a flushing toilet, bath and running water.
“I feel so happy, I have been waiting for many years.”
Provincial human settlements spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said the department planned to build 13180 housing units in the province during the current financial year.
He said over the past five years, they had built 64917 housing units and spent R14-billion in the province.
— davidm@dispatch.co.za
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