The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, donated 40 houses through Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) to beneficiary families living in Kgubetswana Township in Clarens, Free State, during a celebratory event held on Tuesday, 21 May 2024. (Click here to read the full Press Statement issued about “Water and Sanitation Minister Donates Houses in Kgubetswana Township”)
Emphasising the government’s commitment to uplifting communities, Minister Mchunu said, “The donation of these houses demonstrates our commitment to better the lives of citizens wherever we can. Through the TCTA, we will continue to develop initiatives that bring dignity and progress to our communities.”
Minister Mchunu encouraged the Executive Mayor of Dihlabeng, James Tseki, to emulate the excellent standard of houses in future housing initiatives in the municipality. “This quality and the size of houses is the best; it is what we should aspire to produce,” he said. “I would have loved to do more, but now that responsibility is in the hands of the mayor. The standard has been set.”
Water and Sanitation Minister Donates Houses in Kgubetswana Township
The houses come with three bedrooms, a lounge, a kitchen, a bathroom, fencing and a carport. They were valued between R65,000 and R85,000 at first, but a recent valuation process, in preparation for their transfer to the beneficiaries, indicated that their current value is between R380,000 and R640,000.
“The total value of the properties being donated to the 39 families and an NGO servicing persons living with disabilities is sixteen million, seven hundred and twenty thousand rands (R16,720,000),” said Minister Mchunu. The property sizes ranged from 208m² to 302m².
TCTA originally built the houses as accommodation for out-of-town staff members who were working on the construction of the Ash River Tunnel during the implementation of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project – Phase 1 (LHWP-1). The organisation began leasing the houses to residents of Kgubetswana with the intention of eventually selling them at a discounted price to occupying residents.
The CEO of TCTA, Percy Sechemane, explained that the organisation had struggled to sell the houses to the resident occupants over the last 28 years due to affordability issues, as most of them were either elderly or unemployed. The process of property transfer is currently being finalised at the Deeds Office, with all new owners expected to receive their title deeds in the next six weeks.
Though the beneficiaries would not be allowed to sell, transfer, donate or encumber the houses for ten years from the date of donation, they still marked a significant improvement in their financial prospects. “It is believed that such a massive transfer of property ownership to these families and the escalation of the property value to multiple times the original value will make a significant contribution in boosting the property values in the area,” added Mr Sechemane.
Community Leaders and Beneficiaries express thanks
As a beneficiary and local community leader, Sonwabo Morgan Ngubane expressed gratitude on behalf of the beneficiaries for the opportunity to have homes they can call their own. “Today, we made history,” he said. “We have been working diligently with TCTA over the years, helping to resolve all the outstanding issues to ensure that the organisation can help us reach this day.”
Prior to the handover of the houses, Minister Mchunu led an engagement with TCTA, the Free State provincial government and municipalities, and water bodies on the state of water and sanitation services. He urged the leaders of municipalities to take all necessary actions to address barriers to water and sanitation delivery.
TCTA reassured municipal representatives that the Lesotho Highlands Tunnel maintenance closure would not have a negative effect on the water supply in Free State and Gauteng. The shutdown will take place between October 2024 and March 2025. “We continue to work with the DWS (Department of Water and Sanitation) provincial office in Free State and local municipalities to explain all the processes we are following to ensure that water provision will continue uninterrupted during the six months of maintenance,” said Mr Sechemane.
The LHWP is a multi-phased initiative established by a 1986 treaty between Lesotho and South African governments. The project involved constructing a series of dams to harness the waters of the Senqu/Orange River in Lesotho’s highlands to provide water for South Africa’s Gauteng province and generate hydroelectricity for Lesotho. Phase I of the project was completed in 2003 and inaugurated in 2004. Phase II is underway and is expected to be completed by 2028.
