More houses built in Reeston
By Tabisa Mntengwana
17 November 2009
THE third phase of the Reeston Housing Development has already been completed, and there are now 5 000 houses in the estate.
In the first phase of the project, 796 units were built, with 300 of these handed to the victims of the Duncan Village flood in 2008. Later, 496 units were given to people living on the floodplain areas of Duncan Village.
On completion, there will be at least 7 560 units that will house people living in the informal settlements of Duncan Village and Second Creek.
“The majority of people who will be housed in the Reeston units will be from Duncan Village since the development was initially aimed at them,” said Mthunzi Ngonyama, the City’s branch head in the housing technical implementation unit.
According to a report from the housing department, the project is aimed at the de-densification of Duncan Village and combating homelessness.
Ngonyama said challenges regarding the construction were reduced through the Housing Sector Plan.
The housing strategic planner, Jacques Toerien, added: “The plan is set to unlock housing delivery in an holistic and integrated way, with various sectors involved, and increase departmental relationships and a new approach to management of human resources.
“The City council is also required to assign priority to housing in order to achieve results,” said Toerien.
The second and third phases of the development were recently completed, delivering more than 3 000 units.
In her State of the City address on 31 July, Executive Mayor Zukisa Faku said the City was planning to increase the municipal housing delivery output, with the Reeston Housing Development as part of the plan.
“Our target is to develop at least 5 000 units during the current financial year, with an option to increase this figure as and when more funding becomes available,” she said in her presentation.
With the funds received from the provincial human settlements department, the City has spent at least R254-million on the development so far.
The fourth phase will deliver 2 500 houses.
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