The Presidency wishes to correct some reports made by certain sections of the media regarding the housing settlement that President Jacob Zuma will visit and launch in Danville/Elandspoort, Pretoria West.
The settlement will house low-income black and white families who have been living in informal settlements around the area. The President will launch the settlement as part of the Nelson Mandela Day theme of shelter provision.
Some media reports have alleged that the settlement has been built for white families only and that the President and government have neglected black families around the area. This is untrue. There are 110 houses that have been completed, and out of these, 15 are for white families and the rest have been allocated to black families. Once completed the majority of houses in this mixed settlement will have gone to black families.
It is also alleged that the houses have been built as part of electioneering. This is also disappointing and unfortunate. Government continues with its task of extending basic services to people who qualify regardless of whether there are elections or not. The President has been visiting this area since 2008, mostly as a guest of low-income white families.
The settlement is a demonstration that non-racial communities can be developed in the country, in the true spirit of the rainbow nation that former President Mandela promoted.
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