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R30 Million Nelson Mandela Bay temporary RDP ghost suburb vandalised

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Dear Editor

Hundreds of newly constructed temporary RDP houses in Walmer, Gqeberha are being vandalised as the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has been unable to convince beneficiaries to relocate to the site.

More than R30 million has been invested in this relocation project, which will relocate over 500 families from Airport Valley to a newly developed temporary site in Walmer, allowing the construction of their formal RDP houses in Airport Valley to begin.

Unfortunately, the relocation process was so poorly managed by the metro that the residents are now refusing to relocate, fully aware that this will delay the construction of their permanent houses.

The major concerns are that the metro has been unable to resolve the issue of scholar transport and the availability of electricity in the temporary homes. While transformers have been installed in the development and the metro can connect all the houses to electricity, there is a clear trust deficit. The residents are insisting that electricity connections and prepaid meters be installed before they relocate.

On Friday last week a site inspection with NMB DA Cllr Masixole Zinto revealed a housing development resembling a ghost suburb, with hundreds of empty houses. Most of these houses have now become targets of vandalism, with aluminium windows and doors being stolen daily. Neither the metro nor the contractors had the foresight to secure the remote development with armed security.

Around 30 families relocated a few months ago. These residents live in constant fear, as vandals have unfettered access to the area. Additionally, they are concerned they may be stuck in the temporary housing indefinitely if the metro fails to relocate all the families from the proposed Airport Valley development site, which would allow the RDP construction to begin.

The fact that beneficiaries are delaying their relocation, fully aware that they are postponing the construction of their own permanent RDP houses, highlights the extent of the trust deficit between the residents and the metro.

Cllr Zinto and I will endeavour to assist the community by:

  • Demanding that the site be secured by the metro.
  • Requesting the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements to intervene.
  • Proposing that a plan be crafted to fix the vandalised properties.
  • Proposing a relocation plan be drafted with the consultation of the community to ensure the smooth relocation of all families so that the RDP development can commence speedily.

We will closely monitor the development’s progress and engage regularly with the community to address any issues and provide oversight. This is necessary given the government’s inept management of the project and its failure to secure community buy-in

The DA is in your corner, fighting for you. Together we can get NMB working again.

Regards

Retief Odendaal MPL
PE Southwest Constituency Leader

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