President Jacob Zuma hands over RDP houses to Sweetwaters families

The visit comes after a visit to the area by the President, where he was horrified by the living conditions of residents. It was during this visit that the president made an undertaking for an immediate action to improve living conditions in the area.

In May 2010‚ President Zuma visited the area after receiving complaints via the presidential hotline. He said he found indescribable conditions and expressed shock that “human beings” could live “in such conditions”.

Sweetwaters residents, on Friday morning, gathered inside a big white marquee, awaiting the arrival of the president.

President Zuma was accompanied by Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Collins Chabane; Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Richard Baloyi; Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa; Energy Minister Dipuo Peters; Human Settlements Deputy Minister Zou Kota-Fredericks; Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane; MECs and Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Clr Parks Tau.   Following the President’s visit to Sweetwaters and Thulamntwana two years ago, the Gauteng provincial government and the City of Johannesburg began to develop the Kanana Park Housing Project. The development incorporates Kanana Park Ext 3, 4 and 5 as well as the Doornkuil and Bhekaphambili informal settlements.

Kholeka Jabaza‚ who lives with her father‚ Timred (82) ‚ said her family had lived in the area for 22 years and had waited for a government-subsidised home for a decade. Her father was one of the first recipients of houses from the President on Friday.

“I just hope the government can do this for more people. We were not the only ones living in this condition‚” she said. 

 Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, the Executive Mayor Clr Parks Tau and Mr Timred Jabasa (82) a beneficiaries of one of the seven houses handed over by President Jacob Zuma

She was grateful to President Zuma for changing her father’s fortunes. “It feels so great,
it’s not nice staying in a shack‚ especially at his age‚” she said.

More than 200 homes were handed over to deserving beneficiaries.

A total of 3101 houses will be built in the area‚ of which 1793 are government-subsidised housing units‚ 756 are rental units and 552 are  bonded units‚ according to the Premier Mokonyane.

Although, Gauteng province is smallest geographically‚ the Gauteng provincial
housing department says there is a largest concentration of informal settlements here.

As the country’s economic powerhouse‚ Gauteng holds a unique allure for South Africans
from other provinces seeking jobs and other opportunities‚ as well as for  immigrants from
the rest of Africa.

In line with the Gauteng Department of Housing’s strategy to eradicate informal settlements in Gauteng, the Sweetwaters informal settlement has been identified as one of the 56 settlements suitable for formalization.

The settlement is located along the N1 South, 500 meters after the Grassmere Toll Plaza. The settlement borders the Kanana Park settlement and is in close proximity to the Finetown and Ennerdale. The area is made up of Sweetwaters, Thulamntwana and Weiler’s Farm (Kanana Park).

The City of Johannesburg is providing basic services to residents of Sweetwaters, including bulk infrastructure. The provincial and national governments are responsible for the human settlements planning and development of the area. This project is therefore indicative of the three spheres of government coming together to realize the goal of the provision of houses. In addition to the houses, several parks, sports ground, two primary schools, a high school, a clinic, a church, a taxi rank, commercial and light industrial sites are planned for the area.

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President hands out houses