BUNGENI – At least three hundred rural low cost disaster houses has been officially launched at the Bungeni Stadium on Monday, by the MEC for Local Government and Housing, Mr Joe Maswanganyi.

The houses were built at Bungeni, Elim-Shirley, Xitachi, Mtsetweni, Njakajaka, Mbhokota and De Hoop villages under the Makhado Municipality.

Cllr LS Mulaudzi, Chairperson of the Housing Committee at the Makhado Municipality said that the launching of the disaster houses by the MEC is a historic day in the municipality as they have lived up to their promise of providing houses for the homeless people. "When the government declared that there would be houses for all, very few believed it and now they will believe it as we are doing it," he said.

Maswanganyi said his department last year launched about 500 houses at Riverplaats, to the valule of about R8,9 million. "Hardly after eight month were are gathered to launch another 300 houses in this Bungeni project," he said.

Maswanganyi elaborated that the project cost the Government R6,7 million. Mbhokota received 60 houses, Bungeni 60, Elim-Shirley 60, De Hoop 20, Mtsetweni/Shihambanyisi 35, Njakanjaka/Nwamadzhi 30 and Xitachi Village 35 houses. The MEC further stated that the houses would protect the beneficiaries from cold winter and difficult rains, adding that they also (beneficiaries) have an opportunity to live in their new houses in dignity and happiness.

"This project was able to employ not less than 510 workers and that ensured that the project was completed in good time to relieve the victims of the past disaster and generated opportunities for local communities" MEC Maswanganyi said. He further revealed that the new housing procurement regime puts the government at the centre of directing project by assuming the role of developer as it makes it possible for emerging contracts emerging from the communities hired to execute RDP projects. Maswanganyi also claimed that more challenges lie ahead, stating that housing delivery is their mainstay and that this is the beginning.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Lanwisa Miluva Honwana of Bungeni told Mirror that she was sleeping in the thatched house with her five children, with three of them being boys and two daughters. Mrs Lanwisa said that she is happy now as her boys are now secured, as in her customary law Women are not to share the same room with men. Her daughter Doris Shiridza (26) who is a grade 12 pupil at Akani Secondery School thanks the Government for giving them a free house, adding that it was difficult for her mother to built a house that can accommodate all family members none of them is working.

On behalf of Ntlaletseni Property Developers, Ms Dionne Silinda said they've built 300 houses with 45m and donated one house to one of the needy beneficiaries at Elim-Shirley.