Just four days after delivering the State of the Province Address (SOPA), KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala is already on a mission to accelerate the construction of houses and visited the Big Five Local Municipality under UMkhanyakude District to launch the massive roll-out of 2500 human settlements units.

Accompanied by the MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works Jomo Sibiya, local leadership and traditional leadership, Premier Zikalala received a progress report on the R340 million Mdletshe Rural Housing Project.

Premier Zikalala, who spoke to the community at a ceremony at Macabuzana Sports Ground to officially launch the project, said the ANC-led government pursues an integrated approach involving all spheres of government to ensure the roll-out of human settlements across the province.

“We have taken a deliberate decision to use the construction of houses as a catalyst for local economic development and job creation for local communities. We insist that local emerging contractors are prioritised as part of driving radical economic transformation through the rollout of human settlements. As we indicated in the SOPA, we will use expanded public works programme to ensure the training and employment of local youth during the construction. We believe that the construction of houses is about giving back dignity to the poor, the vulnerable, and in particular to those who are in rural areas,” said Premier Zikalala.

Earlier today, Premier Zikalala handed over two houses to the new proud homeowners of the first 300 housing units before launching the second 300 unit tranche project. The entire Phase 2 Mdletshe Housing Project will yield more than 2500 units upon completion in March 2024.

The deserving housing beneficiaries of Premier Zikalala’s SOPA promise to deliver decent houses, Ms Khululisiwe Sebenzile Khoza and Mr Mbongiseni Thulani Dlamini could not contain their excitement when the Premier handed them keys to their brand new homes.

The Premier said the ANC-led government believes the construction of houses is about giving back dignity to the poor and assured the community that the provincial government is implementing the KZN Water Master Plan in order to address major water challenges plaguing uMkhanyakude District and other municipalities.

As announced during SOPA and the debate last week, there are many houses being constructed across the length and breadth of the province with very clear time frames for completion.

“We want to see all human settlement projects in the province being completed within budget. The construction of houses for a long period of time is the thing of the past. This provincial government will not hesitate to revoke developer status from municipalities that are failing to deliver houses to our people,” Premier Zikalala warned.

ENDS

Issued by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government