28 November 2000
The Minister of Housing in KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Dumisani Makhaye, today (28 November 2000) visited the Bhekuzulu Hostel in Vryheid to see for himself about the conditions at the hostel.
"The hostel is a health hazard, without electricity, clean running water and absolutely no services," the Minister said. Prior to meeting with the hostel dwellers, the Minister met with the Vryheid Transitional Local Council (TLC) where he raised the shocking state of the hostel which has been on the news recently.
After inspecting the hostel, it became clear to the Minister that the only thing that could be done to the hostel is to demolish it. The Minister noted that the hostel is not an R293 unit and therefore does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Housing but is actually the property of the TLC.
The TLC claims to have no capacity to renovate the hostel. The Minister agreed that the hostel cannot be upgraded but must simply be demolished. There are about 200 dwellers who are extremely poor living in that hostel and therefore qualify for a normal housing subsidy.
"We have agreed that instead of upgrading the hostel, dwellers must apply for normal subsidies through the right channels and the Department has tasked its Northern Region to speed up the process. I also thank KwaZulu-Natal MP, Paulos Ngcobo, for raising up this matter so that proper steps could be taken to address it," the Minister said.
With regard to allegations of fraudulent allocation of RDP houses in that area, the Department's Northern Region has been given the job of investigating these serious allegations.
Issued by KZN Housing Ministry
For more information:
Harry Mchunu
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