Delays in housing project in NW leaves beneficiaries without homes

Residents of Diretsane Village, situated near Delareyville in North West, remain without homes despite the government's April commitment to resume construction of a stalled R69 million housing project. For years, the R69 million incomplete housing development has languished, abandoned and fenced off with no contractors or building materials in sight.

Project beneficiaries lament the seven-year wait, expressing urgency in receiving the promised RDP houses. One resident, who has been applying for an RDP house for six years, remains without a place to call home. Meanwhile, North West MEC for Human Settlement Oageng Molapisi revealed that the department is allocating 80% of its budget to tackle the housing backlog in the province, reserving the remaining 20% for new construction.

However, Molapisi acknowledges that the 80% budget may not be enough to address all the backlogs, hence the need for prioritization. The MEC is in discussions with municipalities to communicate the plans to the communities, specifically mentioning that there are 134 units blocked in their area.