WAITING FOR THE RAIN

Being a Venda from Limpopo I asked an elder in Port Elizabeth to explain how  we decided on naming a project that  will deliver 15 000 housing units, providing decent shelter to more than 90 000 people in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality at a cost of over R1 Billion,  Zanemvula.  The elder explained to me that Zanemvula is a Xhosa name that means ‘coming with rain’ and according to the local beliefs ‘rain’ symbolises new beginnings and is also regarded a sign of good luck and blessings. Like the first rains that arrives at the beginning of autumn Zanemvula signals new beginnings for the people of Soweto-on-Sea, Swartkops and Veeplaas. For these people Zanemvula is an indication to the people of these areas the realisation of a vision outlined in Freedom Charter.  it is that vision which clearly states that there shall be houses, security and comfort that is now being accomplished through Zanemvula.

People of Soweto-on-Sea, Swartkops and Veeplaas are clearly claiming back their human dignity.  I was reminded of the suffering of the people of Soweto on Sea who for many years have to be exposed to rains and floods across seasons, the children who have to brave dams of water to go to school from informal settlements, I was told Zanemvula will not remind them of their suffering, but give them hope that the Zanemvula rain will shower them blessings.

I was told that this project will entail the relocation of those households currently located below the flood line - those families that constantly experience the wrath of Mother Nature during winter and rainy seasons. Those lives that are forever lost due to fires that spread rapidly due to the nature of the shacks.

Zanemvula will ensure the de-densification and upgrading of informal settlements, and the rectification of old housing stock.  At the launching ceremony for this project the Minister of Housing, Lindiwe Sisulu, explained that Zanemvula is the biggest human settlement project in the Eastern Cape and is also one of the biggest in the country.  She added that in order to ensure a successful implementation of the Zanemvula project, the three Political principals – Eastern Cape Housing MEC, Nelson Mandela Executive Mayor and herself - have agreed to appoint Thubelisha Homes to undertake project management and to also deploy officials from the National Department of Housing to strengthen and support the implementation of the Municipality’s Human Settlement Strategy of which Zanemvula is part of.

She explained that this agreement is guided by the Cabinet decision that provides for mega projects to be managed by a Special Purpose Vehicle. She emphasised that the team will also draw on lessons learnt on the implementation of the first phase of the National Human Settlement pilot project (N2 Gateway Project in the City of Cape Town). These include coordination of intergovernmental projects and fast tracking decision-making processes.

When one stand on top of the hill to look at Soweto on Sea, one understand why the people of Port Elizabeth, in particular the residents of Soweto on Sea are waiting for the “coming of rain”.

Ndivhuwo Mabaya

Head of Media Services

Department of Housing