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moladi Aliwal North - Woman's Day 2007 - Presidential Imbizo
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rdp house |
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President Thabo Mbeki is impressed by the independent culture of the Aliwal community to establish a unique housing scheme to build houses on their own. This community, through a non-government organisation, namely, the Aliwal North Development Group is able to build up to 56 square metre houses at a low prices and affordable installments. Upon hearing about the scheme, President Mbeki decided to add another visit in his imbizo schedule to see the houses. President Mbeki visited the community as part of his two-day Presidential Imbizo that started Friday. Mr Mbeki accompanied by cabinet ministers, visited Ugie and Aliwal North respectively in the Eastern Cape. The housing scheme allows people to pay a once off R5000 as a deposit from which they decide how much to pay on monthly installment, according to their affordability plan. According to local councilor Msokoli Jan, residents have another choice not to pay the deposit but are requested to make R150 monthly payments. "The R150 option is called a saving scheme and the R5000 options is called the loan scheme," Cllr Jan, told BuaNews on Saturday. He said for a 48 square metre house, residents pay up to R32 860 and for a 56 square metre house, home buyers would pay R35 000. This, he emphasised, does not come with interest. "We also help government to deliver on houses rapidly because we build houses for the people and when they receive their subsidy from government, we then deduct the difference owed to us," Mr Jan said. He said President Mbeki had assured them he would ensure that people get their subsidies to sustain the scheme, which started in 1997. Mr Mbeki also handed over a house to an old pensioner who stayed in a shack for all her life. Evelyn Mokoena, 80, expressed her hardships to BuaNews and said she was now happy to die having had a decent shelter. "You know in my youth days I worked so hard. I worked in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Vereeniging but the money was too little to buy a house. "You see I know President Mbeki from that picture over there," Ms Mokoena said pointing to a picture of the President pasted on her old furniture, saying she never thought she would see the President face to face.
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