About 9 000 houses will be transferred to registered beneficiaries in Gauteng by June next year, provincial housing minister Nomvula Mokonyane said on Tuesday.
She told reporters in Johannesburg that to date many housing disputes have been resolved and 219 678 properties have been registered. A further 55 342 houses will be processed by March next year.
”The rate at which these transfers are going to take place is a show of commitment by the government to eradicating homelessness in the provinces especially in townships,” Mokonyane said.
Areas where transfers will take place include Ennerdale, Troyville, Albertville, Roodepoort, Bosmont, Lenasia and Eldorado Park.
Mokonyane said a first batch of houses — about 333 — will be transferred by August. A further 2 000 houses will be transferred in December and the rest will be processed by the end of June next year.
A programme aimed at providing affordable shelter to people with limited disposable income is in operation, the minister said.
The Affordable Rental Accommodation programme will be enhanced by using social housing schemes to assist this category of people.
”We have already identified 23 out of 49 designated hostels to be converted and four to be refurbished by end of the next financial year,” she said.
”In addition to this, we will engage in discussion with the national Department of Public Works in order to ensure that maintenance in various hostels takes place.” — Sapa