Ventersdorp – The residents of Ventersdorp local municipality will not only rebury their liberation struggle stalwart and international icon, John Beaver Marks at the weekend in Tshing township, but they are also set to benefit from the resuscitation of the housing project of just over R84 million for 415 units in at least four villages and the project is to start as early as next week.

The housing project follows the completion of the dolomite stability investigations (or stability and geotechnical studies) for the completion of the remaining 415 of the original 1000 housing units in Welgevonden, Goedgevonden, Boikhutsong and Tsetse villages. The geotechnical report has been able to shed light as to where exactly development can take place in the villages.

The initial allocation for Ventersdorp was 1000 units and only 585 units could be built in the four villages, i.e. Welgevonden, Goedgevonden, Boikhutsong and Boikhutso as they had been cleared by the investigations on the extent of the dolomite. This housing project (415 units) will also see structural repairs done to other houses that were part of the initial 1000 units allocation.

Town planning designs had to be done such that they accommodated the requirements for development for each stability zone. Residential stands also had to be designed and planned according to the densities and sizes prescribed by the Council for Geoscience and National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC).

The Department has also allocated 437 subsidies in Tshing Extension 8. This project forms part of land in-fills where sites were already serviced and inhabitants were living in shacks. Construction is underway in the above project.

MEC for Local Government and Human Settlements, Collen Maine in Bokone Bophirima broke the news to the residents who packed a community hall in Boikhutsong community hall on Tuesday. “We are pleased to announce that the much awaited study has been completed and we can now proceed to complete the housing project. The resuscitation of the project could have not come at a better time. As the country will be re-burying and celebrating the life of J.B Marks here in Ventersdorp, residents in adjacent villages will also reap the fruits of our democracy their own hero”, said MEC Maine.
-TDN
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