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There was hardly a dry eye in Nelson Mandela Bay’s Raymond Mhlaba area in Kwazakhele when residents received government-subsidised houses from the Eastern Cape Provincial Human Settlements MEC Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi on Tuesday.
The MEC was accompanied by NMB Human Settlement’s boss, Tukela Zumana, at the handover of the houses to 35 beneficiaries.
The houses form part of the R7.2 million housing project which comprises 49 low-cost housing units that are targeted at providing decent homes for the community of Raymond Mhlaba.
The Department of Human Settlements is targeting to build 1411 houses in the NMBM during this current financial year, with a budget of R215 million.
Receiving her new house, 82-year-old Philda Vaaltyn, said she was grateful to have a house after so many years.
The speechless Vaaltyn said: “I would like to thank my neighbours who have always helped out on rainy days when my shack could not provide shelter.
“Winter seasons will never be the same for me now, I have a house I can call home,” she said saying she had been waiting for a house since 1994.
MEC Mani-Lusithi said there was still a lot of work to be done in changing people’s lives.
“This is a special project because it accommodates the vulnerable group, the elderly, children, and the physically challenged. The cooperation of both province and the Municipality is yielding positive results,” Mani-Lusithi added.
Meanwhile, Bay’s housing boss, MMC Zumani said the acceleration of housing in Nelson Mandela Bay is a result of good cooperation and working relations between the three spheres of government.
“We as all spheres understand the urgency of the conditions that our people live under. We are equally moving with speed to improve their conditions. We also understand that there is still a lot of work to be done.”
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