Mercury, page 5, March 6, 2007

‘Building 2.4m Units By 2014 Will Need a Miracle’

HOUSING TARGET IS UNREALISTIC, SAY OFFICIALS

Carvin Goldstone

South Africa would have to build 2.4 million houses – or about 30 000 started homes a month – if it wanted to complete its low-cost housingFprogramme by the target date of 2014. However government officials are now admitting that this target is unrealistic.

S’bu Gumede, Chariman of the eThekwini Municipality’s housing subcommittee, said yesterday that South Africa was not doing enough to meet its goal of housing the country’s poorer communities by 2014.

He told politicians and officials at a housing subcommittee meeting that the city Housing Department might need to build twice as many houses every year if it planned to meet its goal in the next seven years. Continue reading →