Housing prospects for the poor

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=30 BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" style=" border-left: 1px solid #3366CC;" BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Tulbagh Info Information</B></div> <div> Housing prospects for the poor</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="120" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#0099CC HEIGHT= 15 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="local_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tulbagh News Page 2"><U>Back to Local News</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>Previous correspondence - if any - follows after in sequence below.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Residents are beginning to notice where the lack of adequate housing for our over 2000 people waiting for same is leading us to in Tulbagh?</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>T.R.I.F</B></div> <div> <B>Tulbagh Ratepayers and Inwoners Forum</B></div> <div> <B>P O Box 10, </B></div> <div> <B>Tulbagh,</B></div> <div> <B>6820</B></div> <div> email : <U>rockyvalley@telkomsa.net</U></div> <div> 023 2302172</div> <div> 082 6538229<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> 16 April, 2010<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Dear Christine,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Your Concerns regarding numbers of Housing units being built in Tulbagh</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> Your comments with regards to the number of RDP houses built in Tulbagh since amalgamation with the Witzenberg Municipality are totally correct. It took all of seven years to just get the application in for the 72 houses. Most certainly many more houses have been built in Wolseley and Prince Alfred's Hamlet in the period of ten years since amalgamation. Also in the same period the squatter shack numbers of Tulbagh went from less than 50 to about 500 now (without add-ons occupied by many who are paying rent to the main shack 'owner'). Also in the same period, more that 1000 backyard shacks have been erected in the Witzenville to cope with the demands of that segment of the community.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> I attended a meeting on Monday in Ceres (IDP and Budget review 2010 to 2011) and there we were informed that in future, no more (top structures) houses will be built. Plots only will be provided and the recipients will be expected to build there own houses? I am sure that everyone can imagine what this means to Tulbagh? The town will soon be a predominance of shacks, as it will take years before anyone builds permanent homes on the plots. There is no control now in respect of the influx, there appears to be serious discrepancies in the allocation of houses and determining who should be on the housing waiting list and there certainly is no effective control in respect of the erection or building of structures that don't comply with the National Building Regulations and no enforcement of the zoning provisions - anything goes with the Witzenberg Municipality? </div> <bR> <div> There are now at least 2000 people in need of homes in Tulbagh and the numbers will swell and more so with the construction workers expected to come to Tulbagh and stay behind after with each new development planned for Tulbagh - if they ever get off the ground with all the other 'threats that this valley faces. The ratio of persons per toilets in Tulbagh stands at between 50 and 60 persons per toilet now! Of course that means that most relieve themselves in the fields and the river (go and see for yourself how these unfortunate people are expected to attend to their basic hygiene and sanitation needs). As it stands now, Tulbagh is destined to become a mess unless urgent intervention is initiated. Alas, I may be seen by some to be overly negative but given the circumstances, how else could I feel? I am not prepared to sit back and do nothing to protect my property investments in Tulbagh and the wonderful sense of place (and space) that attracted me to the valley in the first place.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> To see more about what we are attempting to achieve and what steps we intend to take to get this situation remedied - if we can, go to <U>www.tulbagh.net</U> and look at the 'Latest News Posts' and do that often and tell all your friends to do the same. We all have to be well informed and be aware of where this is all taking us.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Lastly, I would hope that you will join TRIF, or if you were a member last year, to pay your subscriptions for this year. You can do this either at the offices of Rocky Valley Country Properties or at the SPAR - and tell everyone you know to do the same.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Kind regards and thank you for your interest.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> John Veschini<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Chairperson T.R.I.F.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#EEEEEE" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>From:</B> Tony Bond [mailto:tony.bond@lando.co.za] </div> <div> <B>Sent:</B> 01 April 2010 14:18</div> <div> <B>To:</B> <U>ncphoto@mweb.co.za</U></div> <div> <B>Subject:</B> New Council Houses</div> <bR> <div> On the subject of the new RDP houses, it would be interesting to find out how many new houses have been built in Wolseley this past year, (2009/2010) as even from the vantage point of the first road into Wolseley it seems like plenty (more than 72 anyway). Hermon also has had a spate of houses being built there last year. How come it has taken so long for the Municipality to respond to the Tulbagh overcrowding by generously building them 72 houses!!!</div> <div> Some more fodder for John Veschini maybe?</div> <div> Cheers</div> <div> Christine Bond</div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width=28 style=" border-top: 1px solid #0066CC; border-left: 1px solid #0066CC;border-right: 1px solid #0066CC; border-bottom: 1px solid #0066CC;" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>