The minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia de Lille briefed the media during the oversight visit that was conducted on 12th of August 2021 in the Lufhereng Mixed Integrated Housing Development Project, saying “As the government, we want to show that infrastructure, like the President says, is the flywheel of the economy. Infrastructure is the key component of the economic reconstruction and recovery plan.”
Among other officials, the Minister was joined by the MMC of Housing Clr Mlungisi Mabaso, MEC of Human Settlements Lebogang Maile and Tasneem Motara who is the MEC for Infrastructure Development and Property Management in Gauteng. The oversight was key for the Minister to report on the progress being made in over 60 projects across the country that have been gazetted as Special Infrastructure Projects (SIPs), of which Lufhereng Project is one of them.
Representatives of CoJ’s appointed implementing agent (Lufhereng Development Company – LDC) welcomed the minister and government officials for the site tour. Jean-Luc Limacher (director of Urban Dynamics and member of the LDC) proceeded to brief the Minister on the layout of the Lufhereng Project which is expected to yield over 30 000 housing units that vary in typology and will have about 18 educational facilities, 420 000 m² of commercial development, 216 000 m² for recreation and sport as well as 940 000 m² of land earmarked for urban agriculture and agri-estates. The sizable yield of housing and infrastructure together with the far-reaching impact of job creation and poverty alleviation justifies the need to fast-track investment and implementation processes related to this development project.
The Minister’s visit spanned from the FLISP & RDP Housing Units in Extension 5-6 up to the JOSHCO Social Housing Units in Extension 1 of Lufhereng. Followed by an entourage of media personnel, Ward Councilors and members of the LDC, Minister Patricia de Lille and Gauteng MEC of Human Settlements Lebogang Maile conversed with a RDP and FLISP housing beneficiary respectively, and later engaged with two local SMMEs from the Retlosebetsa Database who received sub-contract opportunities and were subsequently part of building the housing units on site.
Before the conclusion of the SIP oversight visit at the JOSHCO Social Housing Units, the Minister was informed of the skills development and training prospects that the Lufhereng Project has. Molefe Makhoana (CEO of Retlosebetsa and partner in the LDC) indulged the Minister on the temporary training site in the vicinity of Retlosebetsa’s offices across the road from JOSHCO Flats which has been used to implement over 1000 skills development opportunities, also alluding to land that has been allocated for a training centre that will be integral to multi-purpose community amenities. With over 8 000 skilled and unskilled labourers and over 2000 SMMEs that registered on the Retlosebetsa Database, the skills and training aspect of the Lufhereng Development Project will play an important role in the employability of people in the community.
The Lufhereng Development Company and Retlosebetsa do welcome the state’s efforts of procuring much-needed investment, as the Lufhereng Project has big plans and legacy programs that need funding to be fulfilled and ultimately benefit the community. To date, beneficiation through social facilitation & database management (Retlosebetsa service) in Lufhereng stands as follows:
– Over 400 sub-contract opportunities have been received by SMMEs who were referred to main contractors from our database;
– About 1500 employment opportunities have been received by local individuals who registered on our database;
– 1381 skills development & training initiatives have been facilitated and implemented, with 53% of them complete and 47% in progress. We have applied for 750 training opportunities and do hope for the best outcome.
Retlosebetsa extends gratitude to all the role players who partnered and supported us to bring socio-economic transformation to the community. #TogetherRetlosebetsa!
