South Africa : Taste in water poses no health threat - City dept - By Gabi Khumalo
Cape Town - The City of Cape Town's Water and Sanitation Department has assured consumers that the taste of water in different areas poses no health threat.
The department said it had received enquiries from residents in certain areas who were concerned about their water suddenly having an antiseptic taste.

By Siboniso Ntuli

Port Shepstone - The Department of Transport in KwaZulu-Natal has set aside R600 million to reconstruct roads which were destroyed during the floods in June this year.

Roads and infrastructure were washed away during floods under the Ugu District Municipality.

MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Bheki Cele said the provincial department had requested the funds from the National Department of Transport in order to assist in building the infrastructure after floods.

By Sydney Masinga

Emalahleni - An agreement has been signed to build a R1.3 billion integrated housing settlement in Emalahleni (formerly Witbank).

Representatives of the Emalahleni Local Municipality, ABSA and the Mpumalanga Department of Housing have signed an agreement to build the Klarinet housing project on 280-hectares of land, starting in January.

"Funding for the project is derived from subsidies from the provincial department, while top up funds will come from ABSA and Emalahleni," said ABSA spokesperson Ajith Bridgraj.

The development will be built over six years.

A total of 6 247 subsidised housing units, 2 322 apartments, 3 900 bonded housing units and a range of social facilities and amenities including schools, clinics, community centres and a cemetery will be built. The area will also have its own shopping mall.

Klarinet will be developed by ABSA Property Development, or Absa Devco, and is part of the national housing department's Breaking New Ground initiative.

All the parties involved in the project wanted to create a quality work-live-play environment to promote the development of sustainable, non-racial societies.

By Luyanda Makapela

Nelspruit - The Mpumalanga Provincial Government will launch the Maputo Development Corridor, one of the province's "Big Five" flagship projects, which aims to unleash economic development while growing the regional economy.

According to the provincial government, the project, which will be launched on Tuesday in Nelspruit, is regarded as one of the largest spatial investment initiatives in the Southern Africa region.

The corridor will link the Maputo harbor through a road to Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

Mafikeng - North West MEC for Developmental Local Government and Housing, Howard Yawa launched a R200 million housing development project in Mafikeng Extension 39 on Friday.

The Finance Linked Subsidy Programme (Flips) was launched to cater for income earners between R3500 and R7000.

An estimated 2400 jobs are to be created over a period of two years during the construction of the 811 houses, comprising of two to four bedrooms ranging from R120 000 to R300 000.

An additional benefit to boost the local economy will be the use of local contractors and material suppliers.

South Africa: Construction Industry in for a Bumpy Ride - AS THE curtain falls on the construction sector this year, next year's prospects for the industry seem uncertain , as the global economic turmoil begins to filter through to a sector that has been relatively unaffected so far . [AA Construction]

South Africa : N2 Gateway project delivers 1000 houses - By Proffesor Ndawonde
Cape Town - At least 1 000 families living in Delft, Cape Town, will be living in their own homes this Christmas after Minister of Housing Lindiwe Sisulu handed over the keys to their new homes on Tuesday.
The handing over ceremony was not a normal event in the department's calendar but it was held to celebrate the integration and reconciliation which has taken place in Delft.