In a gesture aligned with the spirit of the season, Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance and Human Settlements, Saki Mokoena, will hand over 10 newly built houses to families in Baken Park Extension 5 on Thursday, Christmas Day.
The handover in Bethlehem, a town whose namesake is the biblical birthplace of Jesus, is framed by the MEC as a tangible act of giving, providing foundational security to selected families as the year concludes.
Critical housing backlog
The event targets a critical need in the province, advancing the government’s programme to address housing backlogs. For beneficiaries like 83-year-old Alfred Litsiki, it marks the end of a long struggle. Litsiki will receive the keys to a Breaking New Ground (BNG) house after years of living in dire conditions. He will finally gain housing security and comfort.
“The handover of these homes is a direct response to our commitment to serve the public, irrespective of the time of year,” said Mokoena. “This Christmas will surely restore faith in government and give people a lasting legacy. Especially as we are in the rainy season when many reside in [un]inhabitable structures.”
The houses form part of a larger 180-unit project in Baken Park, which had previously been blocked.
“This project is a work in progress. It is one of the blocked projects that the Free State province aims to remedy with a new contractor appointed and on site. With all units anticipated for completion by late 2026,” Mokoena explained.
Part of bigger project
This Christmas initiative follows a significant launch last Thursday, where Mokoena, alongside Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane, Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae, and Dihlabeng Local Municipality Mayor Tseki Tseki, inaugurated a major Catalytic Housing Project in Bethlehem. That project, with a financial projection of R370-million, is set to deliver 1, 248 housing units.
Mokoena connected both projects to the government’s broader mandate.
“This project aims to accelerate housing delivery and spatial planning transformation. And it will stimulate inclusive economic growth,” he stated.
“With tomorrow’s programme, the department intends to retain hope and trust in our people. By reassuring them that this government is trustworthy and delivers on its mandate of providing services at all times.”
