Toilet outcry leads to plans for homes

Outcry from residents over the 'toilet city' in Despatch's Khayamnandi township prompts the government to focus on building more than 800 houses in the area over the next 10 months.

This will cost about R70-million, according to the Department of Human Settlements.

The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality decided two years ago to build toilets first in Khayamnandi as a way of eradicating bucket toilets, but delays in relocating people’s shacks to the area has led to the toilets being vandalised.

In March, mayor Danny Jordaan apologised to Ward 41 residents for the decision to build toilets without houses.

He said it must never happen again.

The Department of Human Settlements said it would pay attention to the toilet city and build 823 units in the area by March.

More than 4000 RDP houses would be built and services installed across the city over the next 10 months, it said.

This will be done through the Housing Development Agency (HDA).

The municipality’s acting executive director of human settlements, Mandla George, said the HDA had managed to get 23 contractors on site to meet its targets after months of negotiations with housing contractors over its database.

“We are now ready to roll. In the end, it is the people of the city who are in need of decent shelter,” George said.

Houses will be built in Joe Slovo West, Chatty, Soweto- on-Sea, Khayamnandi, Mandelaville, Walmer Gqebera, Tiryville, Missionvale, Kruisrivier, Ebhongweni and KwaNobuhle.