The plan is to provide units which are equipped with all the essential services, i.e. electricity, running water and telephone network. Already many private enterprises are indicating a keen interest to enter into joint venture partnerships with the province to provide low cost housing. We welcome this enthusiasm. This will commit the private sector to play a crucial role in the plan to provide houses. In this province, as the government, we shall not be party to any scheme or plan whose eventual outcome on housing is to create serviced informal settlements in the name of housing.
People deserve to live in proper low-cost houses.
A full plan will be presented within the next two weeks to the cabinet. We have the responsibility of reintegrating hostel dwellers into the broader community. Hostel accommodation can be upgraded into family units and alternative housing provided. Hostel dwellers who wish to remain in hostels should be assisted to upgrade their facilities. Similarly in townships such as those on the East Rand where homes have been destroyed during violent eruptions, residents must be assisted to move back into their homes and these homes restored back to a habitable condition.