There is a clear need to build smart cities in the Free State, according to Saki Mokoena, Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs (Cogta), and Human Settlements.

Mokoena stated that the challenges of Human Settlements in the country, especially in the Free State over the past 30 years, have proven that they require the combined efforts of all stakeholders: government, private sector, civil society, and the general public.

Over the years, RDP houses have been built, but it has become clear that there is a need to build communities.

“We don’t only have to build communities but smart cities that are integrated to enhance the positive living of our people and ensure productivity. Human Settlements are good for communities where amenities such as schools, police stations, hospitals, and places of work are integrated. Government alone cannot achieve that; we need the combination of all sectors to take the country to another level,” said Mokoena.

He mentioned that they provide serviced sites where people can build for themselves, and RDP houses with serviced stands for qualifying beneficiaries.

“Those able to raise resources to build the type of houses they want, we have projects that are already ongoing. There are thousands of sites in the Free State where people will be able to build communities that already bear elements of smart cities. Some of them are even putting infrastructure to provide affordable internet for the people,” he added.

Mokoena acknowledged that the Free State has not built houses for a couple of years due to various challenges.

“We are currently correcting the problems that arose in 2014. Remember the G-Hostel in Matjhabeng? We are fighting to get it fixed. We hope to complete it next year. There is what we call Dark/Silver City in Bloemfontein. It is also coming back. It was incomplete, and we hope it will be completed, and we will begin to allocate houses to our people.

“Currently, we are completing around 1 900 serviced stands that are spread all over the province to try to address the growing backlog. This is a shifting goalpost type of challenge because more people are in an era of requiring their own houses,” he said.

Mokoena stated that they have currently built 2 000 houses, and the 1 900 sites will soon be ready for distribution.

When asked how they will ensure that corrupt officials are held accountable, he admitted that it is a struggle.

“The resistance from those who have benefitted from undue practices in the past, the resistance to change in terms of both policy approach and human resources, is a factor. They would want us to continue where projects are incomplete, and high amounts of money are paid for a single unit of a house or a site.”

Earlier this month, he attended the 12th World Urban Forum held in Cairo, Egypt. Founded by the United Nations in 2001, the forum was created to address the challenges of rapid urbanisation.

It brings together diverse stakeholders to explore the implications of urban growth on communities, cities, economic systems, climate change, and the policies that guide urban development.

Mokoena noted that the biggest construction site in Africa is in Egypt, where they are set to build around 50 cities in 10 years.

“If anyone wants to learn about building better communities and modern settlements, I would advise them to look at Egypt. We learned a lot from the Egyptians, their techniques, and their policy posture on how they approach the construction of key infrastructure.”

He expressed that those lessons have been noted, and there are plans to apply them in the Free State.

Mokoena highlighted that about three billion people live in informal settlements, and approximately 300 million are homeless, including in South Africa.

“We do things that are environmentally friendly and do not exacerbate our problems because in the Free State, every two weeks we face a disaster.

“Since returning from Egypt, there were severe rains that left several houses damaged in Thaba Nchu and other areas. Environmental sustainability for me, as an MEC of the Free State, is no longer a talk show but a reality that we must turn around. I am glad we were part of the forum; it worked wonders for us,” concluded Mokoena.

The Star

ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za