Qolweni project on track

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The formerly controversial Qolweni housing project on the outskirts of Plettenberg Bay is on track for completion.

The R33,5-milion project, which has led to riots from residents over unhappiness with the progress of the project, was funded by the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements, but initially the completion was the responsibility of the Bitou Municipality.

Following the unrest, the project’s completion mandate was handed over to the department in June this year. The project includes the construction of 169 units.

Human Settlements MEC Tertuis Simmers said construction would occur in two phases. The first phase, which commenced in the first week of September, is set to see the completion of 66 units by the end of the current financial year (March 2022). A further 67 will follow upon the conclusion of phase 1.

As part of phase 1 66 families had been relocated and earthworks for 66 homes had been completed.

Qolweni

He said 63 of the 66 slabs had been cast and the final three were set to be completed this month. The brickwork for 53 ground floor units has also been completed.

In phase 2, five families have been relocated and the earthworks for five units have been completed. Another six will be completed by 10 December. The first slabs will be cast in January next year.

“Further to the development, we’ve also committed to creating job and empowerment opportunities for local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), as well as labourers. To date, 104 local residents have had the opportunity to work on this project. This is an increase of 48 from the 56 workers we had on site in October 2021. From the 104, 32 are young people and seven are women,” Simmers said.

Qolweni Phase 3A