President Jacob Zuma says government’s efforts to restore the dignity of the residents of Langa through the roll-out of integrated human settlements have paid off.
The President officially opened the N2 Gateway project in the Cape Town informal settlement on Thursday.
The N2 Gateway Integrated Human Settlements Development is a national priority project designed to address poverty, destitution and homelessness through the elimination of informal settlements.
The President said prior to the launch of the project in 18 August 2004, there was no adequate housing in the area and residents lived in squalor.
“We wanted to ensure that the N2 Gateway project becomes an important intervention … we realised that to cater for the needs of the residents of the city, there had to be a change of gear and approach in the way of doing things,” he said.
To date, the project has delivered over 14,000 houses. The Department of Human Settlements will complete a further 8,000 units by 2019.
President Zuma was accompanied by Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane and Human Settlements Deputy Minister Zou Kota-Fredericks.
Government is also building integrated informal settlements in Ethekwini in KwaZulu-Natal, the Nelson Mandela Metro in the Eastern Cape and in Lerato Park in Kimberly in the Northern Cape, to name but a few.
“We have also made tremendous strides with regards to human settlements in the mining towns, thanks to the partnership and support of the mining companies,” he said.
“The Department of Human Settlements has made a commitment that the remaining [8000] housing units will be completed before 2019.”
