KNYSNA NEWS - There is hope for the indigent who have not had proper housing in Fisherhaven, as the Knysna Municipality has decided to avail Erf 3339 for lower income housing.

This move is said to meet those people who cannot afford houses halfway.

The residents have warmly welcomed this decision. They will now buy these plots from the municipality at prices they should be able to afford.

The municipal council approved the alienation of the erf at a significantly reduced rate in a council meeting on Thursday 5 June. 

Mayor Thando Matika said the decision to lower the rate was a pivotal moment in the municipality's efforts to provide affordable accommodation for the town's workforce, including teachers, nurses and municipal workers.

Residents say they have been waiting for this for a very long time. Renaldo Hunter, from Hornlee, said they have had countless meetings with the municipality trying to get this done.

"With this decision, we are super excited. I'm extremely grateful and happy. For we residents, this is a victory. This fight we fought for the community of Hornlee. All these years we have been sent from pillar to post, dealing with different people from the municipality. We are taking it very seriously."

The mayor has mentioned the council's commitment to addressing the housing needs of lower to middle-income earners.

"The resolution marked a conscious shift away from rigid market-based pricing that excludes most residents. This policy recognises the need for affordable accommodation that caters for Knysna's workforce, teachers, nurses, municipal workers and others who fall into the so-called 'missing middle'. By aligning with the Municipal Finance Management Act, the Integrated Human Settlements Policy and local socio-economic dynamics, Council is prioritising economic fairness and community upliftment over short-term financial gain."

Matika said after years of delays and stalled plans, the council rescinded a previous council resolution dated 26 October 2023, instead voting in favour of alienating the land at a markedly lower value.

Other terms of the approval that formed part of the resolution included the requirement for a development application, inclusive of environmental exemption, to be submitted in terms of the Spatial Planning and Management Act, 2013, to establish a map or survey showing the extent, value and ownership of land, especially for taxation entities.

A rigorous screening process will ensure only qualifying applicants are approved.

Matika said Council supported using a transactional advisor to expedite the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (Flisp) development as a turnkey project on Erf 3339.

"A transactional advisor will oversee a turnkey Flisp to ensure professional execution while minimising risk."

This integrated approach, combining affordability, regulatory compliance and active community participation, could serve as a model for other municipalities grappling with similar housing challenges."

Matika said the timing was crucial. "With property invasions looming, service infrastructure at risk of vandalism and frustrations brewing among overlooked communities, the timing of this intervention is critical. It affirms that equitable access to land is not a privilege, but a constitutional right, a right that this municipality is now actively working to uphold."

The administration will be in contact with applicants who have previously registered on the waiting list.

The process is also open to new applicants. For enquiries and more information, visit the Human Settlements Department at 40 Main Street, Knysna.

‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’