Daily Dispatch Online
Military called in to build EC houses
2008/07/05
THE army is on standby to move into the Eastern Cape and fix the province’s broken infrastructure – with the housing backlog as a priority. The intervention plan follows Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu’s meeting with emerging contractors in Bhisho this week to hear their problems.
Yesterday, Housing MEC Tokozile Xasa said her department welcomed the commitment from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
Their areas of assistance would be spelled out clearly at a meeting on Monday. Then the SANDF would know what was expected from it, she said.
Tuesday’s gathering was arranged after Deputy Defence Minister Mluleki George came to Sisulu’s assistance during her department’s investigation into ways of helping the province.
“He came to me and said: ‘I have soldiers under me. If there is anything I can do to assist you, I will be able to’.”
Sisulu, who related this to the local contractors at the Skenjana Roji Hall in Bhisho, later unveiled her ideas to the press.
She said the idea of the army helping was suggested after “we discovered capacity is severely restricted”.
Sisulu said the province faced problems around bulk infrastructure, and had failed to implement its housing programme or register contractors.
George said the army had engineers who could fix or build bulk infrastructure anywhere, including the Eastern Cape.
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka had previously asked the SANDF for its engineers and other qualified people to help with constructing bulk infrastructure such as water and sanitation facilities.
“We committed ourselves,” he said. “When there is no war, there is no reason why soldiers can’t assist in the areas of their speciality. We would want the situation changed.
“We have that responsibility as the Defence Department.”
The move comes after United Democratic Movement president Bantu Holomisa called on President Thabo Mbeki in January to commission engineers from SANDF to review the state of the Transkei’s run-down infrastructure.
In April, the national Cabinet decided to dispatch a team to Bhisho after considering a report on the provincial department’s failure to deliver houses.
This was after the provision of houses plummeted from 37000 units in 2005 to 11750 in the last financial year. - By MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA
Why call in the Army and not moladi? They know how to shoot, we know how to build!