Mangaung offers site permits to informal settlement residents

The Mangaung Metro Municipality (MMM) issued 350 site permits to deserving residents of MK Square in Bloemfontein last weekend.

This was in line with Premier Ace Magashule’s pursuit of Vision 2030 that was outlined in the State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Thursday last week. Magashule made a commitment that the provincial government will work hard to ensure that the 2030 vision of human settlements is realised.

He said Free Staters will have access to affordable services and quality environments by 2030.

“New developments will break away from old patterns and significant progress will be made in retrofitting existing settlements.”

Key to this process will be the formalisation of informal settlements; the upgrading of services and the installation of the necessary social infrastructure, to make these areas viable and habitable.

The MMM’s member of the mayoral committee for human settlements and housing, Councillor Xolo Pongolo, said the municipality has started with the first step of making sure that the vision becomes a reality.

“About 140 permits will still be issued later as there are disputes on these sites. These include cases of two people who are found to have applied for the same site, and where a person who was taking care of the site has registered the site in his name without the consent of the rightful owner.”

In a bid to ensure proper administration of the registration and awarding of permits, the dispute resolution committee has established an office municipality regional office in Rocklands.

“The second phase of the process will be the registration for subsidies. The subsidies are linked to RDP housing project where the price of the site is added to the subsidy,” added Pongolo.

Pongolo also made the residents aware of the fact that it takes up to eight years before an applicant can fully own a RDP house.

“It is only after these years that an individual can use his or her house as a surety or guarantee. However, the municipality has the first buying right to RDP houses after those years. It is also important for community members to know the difference between the roles played by the councillors and the officials in this regard.

“Councillors are not responsible for the awarding of sites, but only the municipality officials designated to issue or award sites can do so. The role of the councillors is to recommend to the municipality.

“The municipality is also in the process of removing all occupants of RDP houses who do not qualify to own these houses. These are the people beyond the threshold allowed to qualify. People like public servants and those working for private companies who earn above the threshold are targeted,” added Pongolo.

Permit holders are requested not to allow other people to stay on these sites as that will be in contravention of the policy since only holders can occupy the site. Until all these processes are completed, the sites still belong to the municipality.