To mitigate the impact of COVID - 19, Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu directed all provincial human Settlements to fast track the moving in of allocated BNG/RDP housing beneficiaries. She said where there is no electricity or sewer, alternative sanitation methods and solar must be used to ensure that all finished houses are occupied.

Therefore, the Minister will visit one of Gauteng’s mega projects, the Elijah Barayi village mega housing project, guided by the Breaking New Ground Human Settlements Policy adopted in 2004, to oversee the moving in of 1500 families into their newly build housing units.


The project, whose beneficiaries will be largely drawn from informal settlements in Merafong City local municipality, backyarders and people living on farms, presents an opportunity for the development of a new city made up residential facilities with mixed use housing typologies, new bulk infrastructure, community, educational, healthcare, and commercial facilities.

The Minister will be accompanied by the MEC for Human Settlements in Gauteng, Lebohang Maile, the Executive Mayor of West Rand District Municipality, Cllr Dennis Sello Thabe and Cllr Maphefo Mogale-Letsie, the executive mayor of Merafong City Local Municipality.


Details of the visit are as follows:

Date: 14 June 2020
Venue: Elijah Barayi Mega City Project, Carletonville
Merafong Local Municipality
West Rand District
Time: 11:00 am



RSVP: Isaac.skhosana@dhs.gov.za/067 696 5838

Enquiries: Please contact McIntosh Polela, Ministry Spokesperson on 079 563 1625 or McIntosh.polela@dhs.gov.za or Mandulo Maphumulo on 079 699 5145 or Mandulo.Maphumulo@dhs.gov.za

Issued by the Ministry of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
Govan Mbeki House
240 Justice Mahomed Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria
0001