Twelve happy Philippi East families are celebrating an exciting new phase in their lives, after they were handed the keys to their new homes on Valentine’s Day.
The homes are part of the Philippi East Phase 5 Housing Project. To date, 317 homes have been completed and handed over, and another 48 homes are under construction.
This Breaking New Ground housing project is due for completion in June 2012, by which time a total of 436 units will have been handed over.
Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Ernest Sonnenberg, handed over the keys to the beneficiaries on Tuesday 14 February.
“There were very happy families, who showed great appreciation that they can move out of their informal structures and into real homes. It was a Valentine’s Day present that they didn’t expect,” he said.
“The beneficiaries were encouraged to take ownership of their new environments and contribute to the overall wellbeing of the area, ensuring the healthy development of their new community.
“As the Mayco Member for Human Settlements, it is uplifting to attend the handing over of houses, and to directly meet the beneficiaries of our projects. I wish the beneficiaries and their families every happiness in their new homes,” he added.
The project was in the news recently when people who claimed to be beneficiaries grew impatient with waiting and illegally moved into newly-built but still incomplete homes.
The Philippi East Phase 5 Housing Project was initially started in 2003, but stalled and was resumed in 2007/08, by which time a lot of the beneficiaries could not immediately be traced. Many of the invaders were among this group, and in frustration moved into the first completed homes, Sonnenberg explained.
The project has therefore been extended, and an extra 31 units have been made available for disputed case beneficiaries.
