THANDI XABA
The Free State provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has revealed that they plan to have 1.5 million houses built by 2019 as agreed at a Human Settlements Indaba.
Provincial MEC of COGTA Olly Mlamleli confirmed this during today’s unveiling of the latest designs for the Breaking New Ground initiative in Bochabela, Bloemfontein.
"We shall be revamping the hostels now called The Communial Residential Units (CRU), we also adding another form of Social Housing, like flats that we’ll build with either one bedroom, two bedroom and even three bedrooms. The RDP houses will also be renamed Breaking New Ground," she says.
Joined by Deputy Minister of COGTA Andries Nel and Free State Premier Ace Magashule, Mlameli says their plans include revamping hostels, building new social housing and renaming RDP houses.
Designed and built by a woman contractor, these houses also form part of the provinces’ contribution to government’s programme for women empowerment. She adds the show houses are a prelude to more houses to be built in the province as they received the stamp of approval from the province.
