BITOU MUNICIPALITY - FORGES AHEAD WITH HANDING OVER HOUSES

Bitou Municipality proudly continues to handover houses to residents, including disabled individuals, as part of the Ebenezer Housing Project. This initiative represents a significant milestone in Bitou's commitment to providing affordable housing opportunities and fostering inclusivity within its community.

On 29 February 2024, a total of 13 houses were handed over to residents, with four allocated specifically to disabled individuals.

These homes symbolize Bitou’s dedication to ensuring that all members of the community have access to safe and suitable housing, regardless of their abilities or circumstances.

This handover brings the total number of houses handed over to residents as part of the Ebenezer Housing Project to 31, while plans are afoot to complete the 57 structures which need finishing touches.

As one of Bitou's legacy projects, it is aimed at delivering over 1400 mixed housing opportunities that will include: Breaking New Ground (BNG) sites, formerly RDP, Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Projects (FLISP) and serviced sites.

Socio-economic benefits

In addition to providing much-needed housing solutions, this project is also generating employment opportunities and subcontracting opportunities, further contributing to the socio-economic development of the municipality.

At the Ebenezer Project there is a strategic partnership between Corobrik, NHBRC and the Western

Cape Government that is offering learnerships to unemployed people, including youth and women.

Not only are they getting an employment opportunity, but they also acquire much needed industry exposure and an accredited bricklaying training certificate.

Bitou’s Mayor, Councillor Claude Terblanche, relayed how the community had worked together to get the portions of land, mentioning that there had been numerous engagements and sporadic protests which led to the project commencing.

Speaking at the event Bitou’s Deputy Executive Mayor, Councillor Nokuzola Kolwapi, said seeing the elderly being beneficiaries was proof that there was a backlog.

“There was no attention being given to those residents and now they can finally feel the freedom that was fought for a long time ago,” Councillor Kolwapi said. “Further, I was once involved in construction and to see young women getting training is refreshing and showing that the industry is slowly changing,” she added,

Councillor Kolwapi said she is excited that Bitou will plant a seed of development in the lives of the learnership participants.

At the closing of the handover Cllr. Terblanche said that the municipality will remain committed to advancing initiatives that promote social inclusion, economic empowerment, and sustainable development. He added that Bitou Municipality was immensely grateful for the partnership and support of all stakeholders involved in the Ebenezer Housing Project, including government agencies, community organizations, and residents.

“As we celebrate this significant achievement, we look forward to continuing our efforts to create thriving, inclusive communities where all residents can live with dignity and opportunity.” – Cllr. Claude Terblanche