This afternoon Executive Mayor – Patricia de Lille visited the Morkel’s Cottage housing development to assess the work that has been done since construction began in March 2018.
I’m really pleased with the progress that has been made in a short space of just two months.
This R146 million project will provide 547 semi-detached, detached single-storey houses and serviced sites for beneficiaries from three informal settlements including Morkel’s Cottage, Beverley Hills and Dark City, as well as beneficiaries from the City’s housing database.
So far, the construction team has completed 102 foundations, 94 floor levels and 70 concrete house frames.
The teams are also putting up external walls, 53 of which have already been completed, and 16 roofs have also been installed.
The aim is to complete 45 units by the end of June but many more units will be in an advanced stage of completion by then and we can have beneficiaries – who have already been processed – move into their new homes as soon as they are completed.
The civil engineering services such as the internal roads, water and sewer infrastructure for the first three phases have been completed.
The civil engineering services for phases 4 and 5 will commence in September 2018 and this will be followed by the construction of the top structures on those plots.
It is anticipated that the project will be completed in 2019.
The project is one of many which speak to the goal of the City’s Organisational Development and Transformation Plan to be a more customer-centric administration and to bring about excellence in service delivery to residents.
I understand there have been a few challenges related to this project but I have urged the community to work with subcouncil officials and the councillors to implement this plan.
From the City’s side, we are committed to working with residents to ensuring that this development is a success and improves the lives of intended beneficiaries.