Friday 2 November 2007 Your FREE city paper METRO www.durban.gov.za ezasegagasini NO KIDDING! MICHAEL SCHOLAR R3M UMLAZI GOAT NAICKER’S PATROL TRADING HUB DURBAN GIG SAVES LIVES News Page 5 Durban Diary Page 6 News Page 3 New homes for thousands KEN MCHUNU HOUSANDS of R240m people will have a chance to rent affordable homes in Durban next for city Tyear, thanks to a R120-million project targeting three areas of the city where accom- modation is in short supply. hostels The KwaZulu-Natal Depart- ment of Housing, the National GUGU BLOSE Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC) and Section 21, non- THE City’s Housing Depart- profit developer Sohco, have ment will receive R140-million joined forces to build from over three years for the upkeep scratch, or refurbish 629 rental of four hostels which are being units. Work is already forging transferred into its care. ahead at Albert Park, Hillary This is in addition to the and Cato Manor. R100-million the province has Mayor Obed Mlaba, speak- also pledged to give the City ing at the launch of the River for the upgrading of other View project at Umkhum- hostels. bane, Cato Manor, said all The Umlazi T section, Kwa- three developments would Mashu E section, KK in Kwa- provide affordable rental Dabeka, and KwaMakhutha housing close to the city, job hostels were the responsibility opportunities, transport links of the provincial housing and other amenities. department but had received He lashed out at “parasitical little financial support for thieves” who illegally rented more than two years. government houses to des- The money will be used to perate migrants. He said the provide lights, water and City, with the help of ward refuse collection and to councillors, would ensure administer the four hostels. that none of this happened in Walter Ngubane, of the the new structures. CAN DO: The ‘Tin Can Girls’ dazzle in Umoja. The hit show opened at the iZulu Theatre, Sibaya Casino, last City’s housing department, River View is a 330-unit night and runs until 13 January. For entertainment news see Durban Diary, Page 6 said: “In the past we could not development comprising run the hostels effectively two-bedroom units housed because the City didn’t have in two and three-storey walk- control over them. ups. It is on the banks of the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for “The hostels were not under Umkhumbane River opposite Housing, Mike Mabuyakhulu our care but the occupants eThekwini Technical College, said: “We are promoting the It’s Mayor’s Awards time! were coming to us when they close to the Albert Luthuli development of more integ- needed basic services. The Hospital, a sports complex rated cities to undo the effects City was always overspending and a light industrial park. of the segregationist policies METRO REPORTER opportunities created because we had no budget to The Port View development of the previous government.” and social responsibility cover these places,” he said. in Albert Park involves refur- He said the Umkhumbane IT’S that time of the shown. Ngubane said the housing bishing four buildings in the project was particularly year again when Mayor Many of the categories department had to rely on area. It will yield 142 rental significant because it was Obed Mlaba honours are now named in other eThekwini departments units, comprising 22 shared from this area in the 1950s people for the selfless honour of liberation to provide services to the room units, 30 bed-sits, nine that the apartheid govern- work they have done to stalwarts, whom Mlaba hostels for free, when things one-bedroom flats and 81 ment had begun its process of uplift themselves and said,“brightened our became dire. two-bedroom flats. forced removals in the city. their communities. darkest days during the The paperwork for the It is next door to a number The developments are due The Mayor’s Awards struggle with messages transfer of the hostels is under of non-governmental org- for completion next year. for Excellence, now in of hope for the future”. way and once complete, the anisations involved in com- Zohra Ebrahim, Chair- its 10th year, begins These include Archie City plans to upgrade them. munity work, the Durban woman of Sohco, said the with a breakfast launch Gumede, Curnick Mth- This will bring the number Music School and the Old projects would cater largely to this morning at the akathi Ndlovu, Dorothy of hostels on the City’s books House Museum, as well as people who had come to Hilton Hotel. Nomzansi Nyembe, to 10. transport routes, schools and Durban to find work. “Most of The main awards Bertha Mkhize, Steven The City is already respon- commercial areas. them do not want permanent event will be held on 10 Dlamini, Johnny Mak- sible for the SJ Smith, in The third project, Valley ownership of houses. They November from 6pm at hathini, Grifiths and Lamontville; Dalton, in Um- View, at Charles Winser Drive, are people who already own the ICC. BRIGHT NIGHT: Mayor Obed Mlaba Victoria Mxenge. bilo; Glebelands, in Umlazi; in Hillary, comprises 157 two- houses in towns and villages To date, a total of with chess champion Tasnim Amra Nominations for the Thokoza, in Greyville; Jacobs; bedroom units housed in two, outside of Durban.” more than 300 people awards can be and the Duffs Road hostels in three and four storey walk- Ebrahim said Sohco had have been awarded for at last year’s awards submitted throughout KwaMashu. ups. The site includes a delivered 600 similar units at their good work. These the year. So grab this And R100 million, from the conservation zone and a view Amalinda in East London, range from initiatives in egories, such as achievers in chance and perhaps a provincial Housing Depart- over Seaview, the University of achieving a rental recovery of safety and security, clean the fields of sports, arts, member of your community ment, has been earmarked to KZN and the sea. It is close to 98% and occupancy levels of environment, community education and big business, might be honoured next fund the further upgrading of the Queensburgh Shopping 100% since it was completed development, wealth and have also been recognised. year. these hostels, with the excep- Centre, transport, schools and five years ago. job creation, and tourism. In the case of big business See the mayor’s tion of Thokoza. commercial areas. [email protected] Over the years new cat- the criteria is job column: Page 7 [email protected].