Massive housing projects on cards

Three multimillion-rand housing development projects could be on the cards for Nelson Mandela Bay, after the municipality’s human settlements portfolio committee agreed to back the proposed Qhama Social Housing projects on Friday.

The Parsonsvlei, Summerstrand and Central projects are set to begin in the 2019-20 financial year and are expected to provide affordable housing to more than 2 050 families.

The R360-million Parsonsvlei Village, on 19.5 hectares of vacant land, will offer 1 047 social housing units to Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association members along with access to the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (Flisp).

The Summerstrand Village will offer 350 social housing units, but it is not clear at what cost.

In Central, the SAB Village will offer 700 social housing and 80 private rental units at a cost of R420-million.

Presenting the developments to the committee on Friday, Qhama Social Housing Institute chief executive Tabisa Nodada said they needed the municipality’s support in writing before the projects could be endorsed by the provincial human settlements department.

“We have pipeline projects that we want to submit to the department, but they won’t take them regardless of how hard we have worked on them if we do not get your support,” she said.

They also needed urgent support in terms of bulk sewer lines for the Parsonsvlei Village, and processing of rezoning applications for the Summerstrand and SAB villages.

“The Summerstrand project is a very interesting acquisition for us.

“There are a number of guesthouses in Summerstrand and the people who work there fall within the social housing income band,” she said.

The aim of the Summerstrand project was to bring township residents closer to their work.

Nodada’s presentation was not part of the meeting’s agenda, which meant the committee could not formally throw its weight behind the projects.

However, portfolio head Nqaba Bhanga said they would support all three projects in principle.

Another project developed by Qhama is the R103-million Steve Biko Precinct in Central, which will see the infamous old Sanlam building revamped.

Construction is under way and will be fully completed in March.

For this project, Nodada appealed to the municipality to ensure services were connected in good time.

The first tenants are expected to move into the building in January.

Nodada said they would be vigilant when selecting tenants. At Friday’s meeting, Bhanga said they supported the projects, but they could not give the institute a blank cheque.

“We need this project. We support the projects in principle.”

He said they would send a team to assess the costs of installing the Parsonsvlei sewer line and establish how they could assist.

EFF councillor Zilindile Vena said they fully supported the projects.

“We want to express our unwavering support.

“You must prioritise black people and the previously disadvantaged because it is they who waste their wages on transport,” Vena said.