Cape Town - Another Gugulethu gogo, Nolufefe Ngcaza, has passed away merely two weeks after receiving the keys to her new home.
Ngcaza, 58, was among the beneficiaries who were allocated houses in the community. She passed away on her way from hospital on Monday.
Ngcaza was on the housing waiting list for three decades, according to her family.
Her daughter Busisiwe Ngcaza, 30, said she wasn’t even born when her mother registered in the hope of being allocated a house.
“She did not even have the time to enjoy her new home.
“She didn’t even live in the house fully as she got sick after receiving it. We are truly hurt by her passing as a family. It was a short illness and that’s how she left us,” she said.
This week was going to be the third week in the new home, according to a community activist.
Ngcaza’s passing follows that of 75-year-old Nomonde Jacobs who died less than a week after receiving the keys to her long-awaited home.
Ward councillor Thembinkosi Mjuza said the community was heartbroken that another pensioner could not enjoy living in their long-waited homes.
“Even now we are being told that there seems to be some contractual disagreements between the City and the service provider, and some say with the province, on the current housing project. “Now who suffers in all of this?
“This is the first project ever that was directly meant for people of Gugulethu, and it is unfair for residents who have been patiently waiting for their turn to be allocated housing to experience this.
“We always see projects that are meant for Gugulethu always taking years and years. That project started in 2019, yet only 23 people have been allocated housing,” said Mjuza.
Spokesperson for the ANC caucus in the City of Cape Town, Judy-Ann Stevens called for housing projects to be prioritised.
“The City’s Human Settlements Directorate has been the worst performing department in the last few financial years.
“This project is supposed to be 570 units, project started in 2019. Only 23 units were issued to beneficiaries last month. Promises were made by the mayco member that moving forward, they will hand over 33 houses in October and again 33 in November and by January there will be 60 houses handed over, but once again the project is stalled and we doubt that 30 houses will be handed over this month,” said Stevens.
Gugulethu Community Police Forum (CPF) Linda Kabeni said they were appealing to the City to speedily conclude the housing project.
“We don't want more of these pensioners dying before they get their houses. The project is long overdue, it has exceeded its time frame to be concluded and we have been told that it is stalling due to non-payment of workers, incompetent subcontractors and lack of oversight from the City,” he said.
The City’s Gugulethu infill housing project stretches over two sites, erf 8448 in Gugulethu and erf 2849 Mau-Mau in Nyanga.
Mayco member for Human Settlements, Malusi Booi said the housing project in Gugulethu was unfortunately affected by unlawful occupation.
“The City confirms that eviction proceedings are under way and we will ensure that the project is protected so that beneficiaries receive their homes.
Security and the threat of unlawful occupations are two major challenges and the City has appointed additional security at housing projects where it is required.
The City handed over homes to 23 beneficiaries in August 2022. We will continue to hand over homes to beneficiaries over the coming months,” said Booi.
Cape Times