Msunduzi hits back amid anger over housing projects
Msunduzi says it will not be held hostage by a disgruntled few who wants to derail its housing projects.
Residents from Jika Joe informal settlement had on Wednesday mobilised and threatened to bring the city to a standstill should their demands not be met.
This follows the completion of low-cost units nearby, which the city says are ready to be occupied. Residents who cannot afford to live there will be given free RDP housing.
However, informal dwellers say they want their RDP units built in the same location as their current temporary housing and that only once their RDPs are completed may the tenants of the low-cost units proceed to occupy them.
READ: Public Works ‘pleased’ with work done to address housing shortage
Msunduzi's Ntobeko Mkhize says the problem is that construction of RDPs will only begin in a few years time.
"The RDP houses construction will start in 2024. So the units cannot be left unoccupied while they are ready for occupation for over 12 months.
"I believe that the protestors should have faith in the municipality and in government in believing that they will not be left homeless and they must trust the commitment the municipality has made they will be housed and they will be given their RDP houses."
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