Over 4 000 houses will be built and 4 000 sites serviced in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality by March 2017 at a cost of R813 million, says acting Executive Director for Human Settlements Mandla George.

This also includes paying attention to the so-called “Toilet City” in Khayamnandi where 823 units will be built at a cost of R70 million.

The upscale in housing delivery follows months of stabilising governance and administrative systems within the metro’s human settlements department consequent to a Cabinet sanctioned intervention in May last year.

“We are now ready to roll,” said George. “At the end, it is the people of the city who are in need of decent shelter, clean and habitable environment, safe and secure living conditions for their children, among others, who will benefit.”

Following months of back and forth negotiations with contractors over the new demand database, the Housing Development Agency (HDA), as the implementing agent on behalf of the three spheres of government, has so far managed to get 23 contractors on site towards meeting these targets.

All contractors who did not meet their appointment conditions were put on terms. The aim is to get them to comply with issues such as the health and safety requirements, so that they could all start building houses failing which the HDA would appoint those who are willing and able to comply with the requirements.

The areas where these houses will be built is Joe Slovo West; Chatty 1060; Soweto-on-Sea; Chatty 491; Khayamnandi; Mandelaville; Ebhongweni; KwaNobuhle area 2, 7, 8, 9 and 10; Walmer Gqeberha Phase 1; Kruisrivier Transit Area; Joe Slovo Uitenhage; Tiryaville; and Missionvale 2 400.

HDA General Manager Bosco Khoza said besides the projects that have been running since the last financial year, all new work would be allocated to small, medium, and macro enterprises.

“As the HDA, we commit to paying contractors within 14 days for certified work done so as to deal with all the challenges of non-payment and delayed payment we have had in the past,” he said.