The development of Elijah Barayi Village in Carltonville has involved subcontracting 111 companies which, among others, are owned by women, youth and people with disability. (Photo: Lebogang Nkadimeng)
The Elijah Barayi Village, a Mega City in Carltonville in the west of Gauteng has created economic opportunities for residents and businesses of the area and surroundings. Since it was launched on February 14 2018, the development has created close to 1 000 jobs and more than 100 sub-contracting companies were hired during its development.
One of the young people who benefited is Itumeleng Malatsi (32) from Khutsong, who was an unemployed civil engineering graduate before working at the development. Malatsi said that he started as a general labourer as there were no posts available at the time and was later was appointed as a quality control officer, a position where he is able to put his diploma to full use.
For Doogie Motitswe (37) the Elijah Barayi Village provided her company Doogie Projects an opportunity to do their first job. Motitswe said that she has not only been taught construction skills in the project but also management skills.
MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements Dikgang Moiloa said that he was happy with the progress made in the project. “Human settlements projects are not only about providing houses. The 844 jobs that have been created in the first year of the project provide much-needed economic relief for the community. The development has also subcontracted 111 companies which, among others, are owned by women, youth and people with disability,” he said.
Moiloa thanked the developers and the community of Carltonville and surrounding areas for always finding ways to resolve disputes. “We understand that when opportunities come, everyone wants to benefit, but not all of us can benefit at the same time. We thank the community for understanding that not everyone will get a job or be a sub-contractor in the project. We are also grateful that all parties are prepared to engage and that has led to minimum work stoppage,” he said.
Moiloa said that he was happy the developer had exceeded the 10 percent expectation of the project by building over 1600 house in the current financial year, with the full project having 11699 mixed housing unit.
“Before the end of this financial year, we should be allocating these houses. Part of the area is still a construction site. We plead with those who are going to be allocated near it, to protect the houses still under construction so that other people can also benefit like them,” he said.
Moiloa said that the fierce unionist and freedom fighter Elijah Barayithat the Mega City is named after will be proud of the progress made thus far.
Zandspruit electrification programme takes off
Youth to be trained in skills during implementation of project
Sithembiso Mkhize
The long-awaited electrification project of Zandspruit informal settlement near Honeydew in Randburg will begin in March this year.
This was announced by Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Dikgang Moiloa, during a report-back meeting to the residents of Zandspruit on the electrification programme of the area.
Moiloa disclosed that over R8-million has been allocated for this programme by the department of energy. It will also open up business opportunities for the community.
“Eskom has already conducted an SMME support workshop, which will allow local business to be part of this programme,” said Moiloa.
Youth of Zandspruit will also be trained and equipped with skills to work on the mass electrification project that is expected to be completed in the next three years.
The first phase of electrifying the area will take about three months, provided that there are no hiccups and the community allows Eskom officials to successfully electrify the informal settlement without any stoppages.
Moiloa thanked Eskom for the report and urged the community to co-operate with the power utility. “I would like to thank Eskom for this detailed report on the electrification programme.”
The MEC noted that the electrification programme is a temporary solution, as the government has a plan to build human settlements in Zandspruit.
“We have also been in talks with private land owners, who have showed an interest to avail portions land for the development of human settlements in this area. We are in talks with Steyn City, which is willing to partner with the government to develop Zandspruit,” said Moiloa.
“On my next visit here, I am going to invite the City of Joburg, the national department of human settlements and private land owners who own portions of land in this area to plan for housing development,” added Moiloa.
The MEC issued a stern warning to those who would continue to attempt illegally occupy the landafter government efforts to develop human settlements in Zandspruit.
“We will not be kind to individuals who do not abide by the South African rule of law and bylaws in our beautiful province. We will unleash the full might of the law on them,” said Moiloa.
Department spends 95% of the budget on service delivery
‘Gauteng is going to be a construction site over the next 10 years’
Luzuko Pongoma
The Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements and CoGTA (Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs), Dikgang Uhuru Moiloa, has welcomed the improvement in the department’s spending of its budget.
“In the current financial year, we have spent 95% of our budget. This is a record high in [the last] 20 years. I am also pleased to announce that the department is not surrendering even a cent to treasury this year,” he said. The department had returned a large amount of money to treasury in the previous financial year.
Moiloa said the department was working with municipalities to deliver even more houses by the end ofthe municipalities’ financial year.
“We are refocusing the infrastructure grant for bulk services, and provinces are now going to [go] direct and partner with municipalities to ensure integrated planning, with bulk infrastructure investment as a key driver for economic growth,” he said.
“We have refocused the administration towards improved service delivery. The department has improved on the payment of service providers. We are closing the net on accruals and payment disputes between our clients and the department,” he said.
He said that the human settlements department was reviewing policy, to open up the data base and allow more youth and women to play a role in construction. Thirty percent of the housing grant is top sliced for these designated groups.
“The 33 Mega Cities are coming of age, and Gauteng is going to be a national construction site from 2020/2021 and [over] the next 10 years. In addition, the department is dedicating resources towards refurbishing the flats in the coloured areas, with a view to transfer them to the families with title deeds,” said the MEC.
Moiloa has invested increased energy and resources on the development of communication and the concept of “deliverology”, to partner with stakeholders in the construction and built environment.
“R770-million is budgeted for the formalisation of informal settlements in the year beginning April 2019. We have also intervened in a number of projects that were facing delays due to various reasons. These projects include Mountain View, Southern Farms and Orlando West Women’s hostel,” he said.
In addition Moiloa noted that a meeting is being set up between the premier and minister of land affairs to resolve the land question in Alexandra, based on an MOU signed by the department, the City of Johannesburg and the land owners of Alexandra. The MOU has been dubbed as the “Mashatile MOU” by some of the stakeholders.
The MEC warned all those who plan to invade land or houses that the department would not hesitate to take legal action against them, and that the department was going to continue to evict those who are occupying houses or land illegally, where it has court orders.