SA, Cuba sign housing deal
Karen Pretorius
12 November 2004
Government on Wednesday signed a framework agreement with Cuba to help boost the South Africa's plans of providing proper shelter for the poor.
The agreement, signed in Cape Town between Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Cuban Deputy Minister of Construction, Rene Mesa, paves the way for provinces to enter into specific agreements with Cuba to provide technical expertise according to their housing needs.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Western Cape MEC for Housing and Local Government, Marius Fransman said the Cubans would be deployed to help with the People's Housing Process (PHP).
"The agreement relates to technical assistance to be rendered by Cuban architects and engineers to support the low cost housing process in South Africa," said Fransman.
In terms of the PHP, poor South Africans will access government's subsidies and build their own houses.
The Cuban experts are expected to help those communities who
lack the practical construction skills. They Cubans will be based within the communities they will be assisting where they will share their knowledge and skills.
Fransman said government's new Comprehensive Human Settlement Plan addresses issues of quality houses.
"This is an initiative to further strengthen the plan by deploying specialists in the poorest of the poor communities," he said.
According to Fransman, 12 Cuban professionals will arrive in the Western Cape in January 2005 to work in areas such as Khayelitsha, and the rural areas in the Boland, West Coast and Karoo.
The province has a housing backlog of 320 000 units, while there are 2.1 million people nationally without adequate shelter.
Mesa said his country has a long history on housing delivery for poor communities.
He said the Cubans would share their experiences with local professionals over the construction of low cost but quality housing.
"We want to reach those regions
and those shacks and help improve the conditions and quality of life of those people," Mesa said, adding that his country was willing to work with South Africa in other fields of development.
Source: BuaNews
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