THE Free State Executive Council (Exco) has moved to accelerate the completion of two major low-income housing projects that have been delayed for years, affecting thousands of residents awaiting homes.
The Dark and Silver City development in Mangaung, which was initially set to provide 812 housing units, remains incomplete almost two decades after the project began.
That project’s budget has reportedly surged from R110 million to R485 million, with only 78 percent of the work finished.
The G-Hostel project in Welkom, which aims to deliver 780 homes, is also behind schedule, with just 55 percent of the project completed.
In a provincial cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the Exco resolved to fast-track the completion of both projects, aiming to have them finished by the end of the current financial year.
The decision follows Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae’s State of the Province Address, which highlighted the urgency of addressing the housing backlog in the province.
Free State government spokesperson Matshediso Setai confirmed that a phased occupation approach would be adopted for the Dark and Silver City project, with qualifying beneficiaries set to move into completed units starting this month.
“In the case of Dark and Silver City, a phased-in occupation approach will be applied to move in the qualifying beneficiaries progressively, starting this month, March 2025,” she said.
The G-Hostel project will follow a similar timeline, with the first batch of beneficiaries moving into completed structures this month, and the remaining residents expected to occupy their homes by November 2025.
“The first batch of beneficiaries will move into the completed structures this month while the remaining group will occupy their houses in November 2025,” Setai confirmed.
Both developments have been hindered by contractor changes, vandalism and community disruptions.
The Exco has committed to a rigorous verification process to ensure only eligible beneficiaries receive housing.
“The occupation of the houses by the rightful beneficiaries will assist in preventing further vandalism of the properties,” Setai said.
The Exco also warned contractors involved in substandard work or project abandonment that they will face severe consequences.
“Contractors doing sub-standard work or abandoning the projects incomplete have been sternly warned to cease these unacceptable and costly practices,” Setai stated, adding that officials implicated in mismanagement or corruption related to the housing allocations will also be held accountable.
Meanwhile, the Intabazwe Smart City project, launched in 2024 to house informal settlement dwellers, is under review to improve execution and ensure better planning across government departments. – Staff Reporter