MEDIA STATEMENT

JOINT STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF HOUSING, MEC OF HOUSING, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS  OF THE EASTERN CAPE AND THE EXECUTIVE MAYOR OF NELSON MANDELA BAY ON THE SIGNING OF AN AGREEMENT TO FAST TRACK HUMAN SETTLEMENT DELIVERY IN THE METRO.

Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape, The Minister of Housing, Lindiwe Sisulu, the Eastern Cape Housing, Local Government and Traditional Affairs MEC, Thoko Xasa and the Executive Mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Nondumiso Maphazi today signed an agreement to fast track the implementation of the Zanemvula human settlement project.

 The three Political principals agreed to appoint Thubelisha Homes as a specialist project management company and also deploy officials from the National Department of Housing to strengthen and support the implementation of the Municipality’s Human Settlement Strategy, to deal with Zanemvula project.

The agreement is guided by the Cabinet decision that provides for mega projects to be managed by Special Purpose Vehicles, and lessons learnt on the implementation of the National Human Settlement pilot project (N2 Gateway Project in the City of Cape Town) on coordination of intergovernmental projects and fast tracking decision-making processes.

Zanemvula Human Settlement Project is the biggest human settlement project in the Eastern Cape and one of the biggest in the country.  The project will deliver approximately 15 000 units with basic social and economic amenities providing decent shelter to more than 90 000 people at a cost of more than R1 Billion spread over three years.-

The three spheres of Government also agreed that a joint team led by a senior official from the National Department of Housing will be deployed in Nelson Mandela Bay to assist with building capacity, strengthening the human settlement delivery systems and providing technical and project management support to deal with the Zanemvula project.

This team will be supervised by the Director General of Housing, the Head of Department of the Eastern Cape Housing and the Municipal Manager who will meet regularly to give guidance and review progress.

The Zanemvula Project covers the Soweto-on-Sea, Swartkops, Veeplaas and Chatty areas, and entails the relocation of those households currently located below the 100-year flood line, de-densification and upgrading, and the rectification of old housing stock.

Issued on Behalf of the National Department of Housing, The Provincial Housing Department and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.

Enquiries:  Ndivhuwo Mabaya

Head of Media Services

National Department of Housing

Cell: 083 645 7838

Date: 16 July 2007