PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Human Settlements MEC Tertuis Simmers urged Bitou Municipality to spend "every cent" allocated to the area for housing optimally, especially during a time where the Covid-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the economy.
He was in Plettenberg Bay as part of a three-day effort to engage with Garden Route municipalities, present his department's funding model and assess the level of compliance with Covid-19 regulations on all human settlements sites last week.
Housing issues in Bitou have been a thorn in the side of officials over the past few years, which ultimately boiled over into major protest action two years ago when the town was brought to a near standstill. Sporadic protests over delays in housing development flared up on several occasions since.
Simmers confirmed that housing funding for Bitou during the current financial year amounted to R35-million. "I appealed to the municipality to use every cent optimally as the current Covid-19 pandemic forced Government to do business in an unusual way.
"This budget will be allocated to the following projects: Qolweni/Bossiesgif, New Horizon, Kwanokuthula, Zawazawa and Kurland," he said.
Simmers said before his visit he was "quite concerned" that some municipalities did not understand how the funding and planning model of Human Settlements works. "These engagements allowed us to clarify these models and I am happy to say that all municipalities and those stakeholders who participated in these events now have a clear understanding. I commend the municipal executives and all stakeholders for the frank and robust engagements."
He was also satisfied that at all construction sites across all Garden Route municipalities, contractors were adhering to all Covid-19 and other health and safety protocols as prescribed by his department.
Bitou municipal spokesperson Andile Namntu described the meeting as very "constructive". "The meeting was able to create a common understanding between the two parties, regarding current and future housing developments for Bitou," Namntu said, noting that while Green Valley housing is not part of the current framework, it is still being pursued. "There are concrete plans which will be tabled to the provincial department for consideration. Once approved, it will be implemented with urgency."
'We bring you the latest Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route news'
