Pretoria - A group of at least 154 people expected to move into the multimillion-rand Marabastad Townlands social housing project in December have been urged to pay a deposit to secure their accommodation.
According to the City of Tshwane’s acting MMC for human settlements, Peggy de Bruin, beneficiaries risked losing their space in the property should they fail to make payments in advance.
Last month, the municipality organised a viewing session of the housing project attended by beneficiaries and suspended MMC Abel Tau.
At the time, Tau said there were at least 691 beneficiaries who had been approved for placement in the housing project and that 154 were for the first phase of the development.
De Bruin said beneficiaries received quotations from Housing Company Tshwane, a municipal social housing entity, and were asked to pay deposits to secure their space.
“Beneficiaries are reminded that the last date for payments is November 5, failing which, applicants will forfeit their space.
“The multimillion-rand social housing project consists of 1 200 mixed units and covers residents of Tshwane who do not qualify for government subsidy houses nor earn enough to qualify for a home loan (earning between R1 500 and R15 000 per month).”
She said that overall 691 beneficiaries have been approved for occupation before the end of the calendar year.
The housing project was for low-income earners in the capital, who would be able to have homes closer to economic opportunities and have easier access to places of employment, transport routes, shopping malls and sports facilities.
It was previously said that the reduction of travel time to work would greatly benefit workers, who spend 70% of their income on transport, according to a World Bank study.
It was initially anticipated that the 900-unit social housing project would be completed in September 2019, but the deadline was missed.
The project was first unveiled by then mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa in February 2016.
It was bankrolled by the Department of Human Settlements through its Social Housing Regulatory Authority, and the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, through the Gauteng Partnership Fund.
There was also a capital expenditure grant from the City of Tshwane.
Pretoria News