The Transhex housing project, which was earmarked be completed this year, will only deliver its first units to beneficiaries later this year.
There is some doubt if the 8 800 units promised in 2017 will be able to be delivered within the next year. It is suspected beneficiaries have to wait another four to five years.
For the past five years, beneficiaries have been waiting for the Transhex housing project to be completed.
Standard wrote in 2017 (“Massive housing project launched”) that the first houses will be handed over in 2021. However, the beneficiaries who are to receive housing were informed early last year that a new contractor had been identified to manage the operation of the housing project.
This after the previous contractor failed to deliver 58 units by the end of 2020, to which he had committed himself.
According to a report submitted to the municipal council last year, the completion of the first 22 units by the end of July 2021 did not materialize.
Jaco Steyn, director of engineering services at the Breede River Municipality (BVM), at the time said that as a result of the units not materialising in July last year, an attempt was made to complete 62 units, or part of it, by the end of August 2021.
Anticipated completion dates 2021
The timeline shared with Standard last year was that at the end of July (22 units) were supposed to be done, but had not been completed.
They then set out a plan to deliver units on a monthly timeline.. End of August (40 units); . End of September (58 units); . End of October /early November (70 units).
It also showed that the 190 units were expected to be completed by early November 2021.
However, no units were completed or available for occupation by the end of November.
Where does the project stand now?
On Tuesday 8 February, Standard went for a site visit at the Transhex-project for an update.
According to Corrie Landsberg, project manager for Regional Support Services in the Cape Winelands Region for the department of Human Settlements, one of the delays was the use of alternative technologies and systems to construct the houses.
He adds that as the different phases are completed, beneficiaries will be notified by the BVM on when they can move in. The end of construction date for phase 1.1 is currently 31 May 2022.
According to Landsberg, construction on the project began on 26 August 2019 and services on 19 October 2017.
He further shared that phase 1.1 of the project consists of 190 top structures that include single-floor, semi-detached and row housing. He mentions that out of the 190 there are 20 units practically completed.
According to Vincent Phiri, project manager for Jubelie Projects, which also works on phase 1.1, another 44 units will also reach practical completion within this month (February).
Landsberg adds that boundary walls for Phase 1.1 will also be implemented, and that completion of the project is planned for May 2022.
This will be implemented under EPWP (Extended Public Works Programme) principles.
The project will comprise 8 873 serviced sites, but Landsberg says implementation is at Phase 1 of the project, with the intention to provide 3 231 civil engineering services and top structures.
The budget spent on the project so far is R322 million on services and R31,9 million on top structures.
Landsberg makes it clear that the project is still off limits and that anyone who wants to visit the site must ask for permission from the BVM.
On its completion the project will consist of 8 800 units in total.
