Photo by: Duane Daws
The eThekwini Municipality has given a R101-million cash injection for the completion of the first phase of the Cornubia housing project.
Head of Communications Tozi Mthethwa said on Wednesday the decision was taken during an executive meeting on Tuesday.
City manager Sibusiso Sithole said funding to complete the Cornubia Integrated Human Settlement Development needed to be approved so that people could be relocated from transit camps into proper homes.
“There is a sense of urgency in this matter... If we don’t find a solution we will sit with this infrastructure [problem] which will end up being wasteful expenditure, we don’t want that,” said Sithole.
Chairperson of the Human Settlements and Infrastructure Committee Nigel Gumede said government had the responsibility of providing housing to South Africans.
Head of Human Settlements Beryl Mphakathi presented a report to the executive council outlining challenges facing the development and the necessity for additional funding.
Mphakathi said the pilot phase, Phase 1A, was at an advanced stage with 482 top structures on fully serviced sites. She said the funding shortfall of R101m was to ensure the completion of the eight sub-phases in Phase 1.
“Additional funds are needed to complete Phase 1B. Currently three contractors are engaged with the implementation of 2 186 sites. Of this 803 sites are ready for top structure construction, 741 by another contractor will be completed this month while the third contractor will be implementing 642 serviced sites.
“Top structures will be completed by April next year,” said Mphakathi.