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April 2024 marks the end of having men and women in construction outfits, scuffle holdings and heavy earth moving equipment at Townlands Social Housing project, with this end of an era, a new journey begins. The launch of Townlands Social Housing marks a significant milestone in addressing housing needs in Tshwane. It symbolizes the City’s commitment to providing affordable and safe housing for its residents, fostering social inclusion, and reducing homelessness. This endeavour is witnessed in the allocation of 664 units to approved applicants thus far, with an average of 3 family members per unit. With a total of 1200 units, this makes Townlands Social Housing the biggest social housing project in the country, and on the grounds of this, we’re beaming with pride. This achievement underscores our belief in the right to shelter and our dedication to fostering inclusive communities where everyone can thrive regardless of their gender and race. The completion of Townlands Social Housing project reflects the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders, including government agencies, developers, communities, and residents, working together to create sustainable and equitable living spaces. With each brick laid, and each family housed, we reaffirm our belief in the power of community, solidarity, and social justice. Together, we’re building hope and opportunity for a brighter future for all.

In my capacity as MMC for Human Settlements, on Thursday, 26 October 2023, I conducted a joint oversight site inspection with the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA) of the Townlands Social Housing Development located in Marabastad, Region 3. SHRA is an entity of the national Department of Human Settlements that is responsible for investing into, enabling and regulating the social housing sector. It has partnered with the City’s housing entity, Housing Company Tshwane (HCT) in the development of the Townlands project. Townlands is a social housing development that offers low-cost rental to qualifying residents of Tshwane who fall in the income band of R1 850 to R22 000. This development enables residents of Tshwane to live near the city centre and economic opportunities. Once completed, the development will yield a total of 1 200 units, making it the largest social housing development in South Africa. The Townlands project is nearing completion, with Phase 1 at 92% and Phase 2 at 84%. The practical completion of the entire development is expected in the first quarter of 2024. HCT has started tenanting for eight completed blocks and is currently at 342 tenants in 342 units. The application for people earning R11 301 to R22 000 will be open from 1 November 2023 until the development is fully occupied. It is important to note that only eligible applicants will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and that the units are for rental only, with rental charges calculated based on the gross household income. This flagship development will become a springboard for the revival and rejuvenation of the Marabastad area.

Recently in my capacity as MMC for Human Settlements, I conducted an oversight visit to the Marabastad Townlands Social Housing Project. During the visit I was accompanied by officials from Housing Company Tshwane (HCT), a social housing entity of the City. The Marabastad Townlands Social Housing Project offers subsidised rental rates in a prime location that is close to the inner city and various workplaces. The project is considered one of the country’s biggest social housing ventures and consists of 1 200 mixed units. It is set to benefit Tshwane residents who do not qualify for government-sponsored housing nor earn enough to qualify for home loans, the so-called “missing middle”. As part of Phase 1, a total of 211 tenants have been allocated units and have already moved in. Another approved group of 21 tenants will move in by the end of this month, totalling 232 tenants so far. There are, however, some teething challenges, such as plumbing and electrical faults that we identified and will soon be resolved. A more prominent challenge is ensuring that we resolve the HCT cash flow challenges that have affected the construction of the remaining phases. It is important that all phases of this project are completed without any major delays. Therefore, we will work to ensure that construction resumes soon. Our multiparty coalition government is committed to supporting all qualifying residents to access affordable housing opportunities.