MUSINA – Poor rural families whose houses and infrastructure were damaged by floods in Musina four years ago received houses when 250 houses were officially presented to the community by Local Government and Housing MEC Joe Maswanganyi last Tuesday.

Maswanganyi said that those people were living near the graveyard and the government made it possible to relocate them to the new houses. "The 250 houses cost nearly R5 million," said Maswanganyi.

The construction of houses was part of the People's Housing Project at Freedom Park, the former Matswale u sika ntsala moragu.

Maswanganyi said that his department is going to build another 205 houses in Nancefield and even the people living at Doreen farm, Tshipise and others are going to get houses.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Salphina Munyai (65), said she is happy with the new house, because she had been living in a shabby shelter.

"The Local Government has also upgraded the stadium at Skoonplaas and trained 35 builders, eight security personnel and four clerks. As part of the programme, they have also installed Apollo lights in the streets," said Maswanganyi