The honourable Minister Lindiwe Sisulu spent the day visiting the Zanemvula housing project in the Eastern Cape Province on 26 October 2014.
Zanemvula is a mega housing project of the Department of Human Settlements, for which the HDA is an implementing agent. It consists of the Soweto-on-Sea, Chatty, Joe Slovo West and Veeplaas areas. The Minister was accompanied by Director-General Thabane Zulu; Chief Director: Monitoring and Evaluation Phillip Chauke; Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Northern Cape NUSP programme manager Prince Xhanti Sigcawu; former Human Settlements Chief Director, Julie Bayat; Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements HoD Gaster Sharpley; and Regional Chief Project Manager Khaya Phanziso. Nicholas Tsewu, HDA’s Zanemvula Programme Manager led the HDA’s delegation and guided the Minister and her party around the projects.
The Minister went for a site visit to Soweto-on-Sea/Veeplaas and was particularly delighted to witness that the majority of families who had previously lived on the flood plains of Chatty and Swartkops rivers, have been relocated to their new houses at Chatty. She spoke to community members regarding their challenges, including a replanning exercise (aimed at redesigning these areas and attending to structural problems of old houses) which is under way and how it affects them as they await its finalisation. She also visited the reception areas of Chatty and the site planned for a military veterans’ housing project. The Minister was delighted to see the huge progress made on the Zanemvula project since the HDA took over as an implementing agent.
Minister Sisulu also highlighted the fact that other sector departments need to play their role in making the project a success and fully integrated. The Minister acknowledged the critical role that the HDA has played in the project, and was happy about the visible presence of the HDA.
The beneficiaries were also very excited to see the Minister engaging with them. The day ended with the Minister visiting a very old house in Ward 27 at Soweto-on Sea, which had been damaged by a storm. The beneficiary was delighted to hear the news that the house would be rebuilt as per the Minister’s request.
