Committee Reports on Department Budget, Norway, Netherland & Western Cape Studytours, & Fires/Floods Conference: adoption

Meeting report

HOUSING PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
31 August 2005
COMMITTEE REPORTS ON DEPARTMENT BUDGET, NORWAY, NETHERLAND AND WESTERN CAPE STUDYTOURS, AND FIRES/FLOODS CONFERENCE: ADOPTION

Chairperson: Ms Z Kota (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Committee Report Department Budget Hearings
Committee Report on Norway and Netherlands Studytours
Committee Report on the Western Cape Visit
Committee Report on Conference on Challenges of Fire and Floods in Human Settlements
[All shortly available at Committee Reports]

SUMMARY
Members unanimously adopted four Committee Reports with minor technical amendments. The Committee Reports on the Department Budget Hearings, the Norway and Netherlands Studytours, the Western Cape Visit, and the Conference on Challenges of Fire and Floods in Human Settlements, are summarised below. The Committee Secretary announced that the final corrected reports would be available the following week.

MINUTES

Committee Conference Report
The Committee hosted the Conference on Challenges of Fire and Floods in Human Settlements in Parliament on 19-20 April 2005. The Conference was attended by 146 delegates from various organisations and from Parliamentary Portfolio Committees and Select Committees. 12 members from the ANC, one from the DA and one from the MF represented the Committee.

The conference aimed to enhance the creation of sustainable human settlements by examining the challenge posed by fire and floods. A declaration produced from the conference reaffirmed commitment to prevent fire and floods in human settlements, and noted the physical, emotional and financial effects of these environmental hazards on the poor. It recognised the shortage of housing, urban infrastructure and services and that fires and floods compounded social, health and environmental problems.

Committee Report on Norway and Netherlands Studytours
A Committee delegation had undertaken a studytour to Norway and the Netherlands from 4-18 June 2005. The delegation had included five Members from the ANC, one from the DA and one from the UDM, the Committee Secretary, three delegates from the Social Housing Foundation, one official from the National Department of Housing, and two from the National Housing Finance Corporation.

The studytour provided insight into the policy and results of the social and co-operative housing approach in Norway and the Netherlands. The Committee learned how the Scandinavian experiences compared to the South African context and policy. They had also strengthened inter-Parliamentary relations by sharing experiences of social and co-operative housing. The findings from the tour were discussed in the Committee meeting of 16 August 2005.

Report on the Western Cape Provincial Visit
The Committee had undertaken a provincial visit on 25 and26 January 2005 to the Western Cape settlements affected by the fire in Joe Slovo, KwaLanga and Khayamnandi. The delegation consisted of seven members from the ANC and one from the DA, the Committee Secretary and the Committee Assistant.

The Committee assessed the relief needs in the areas affected and response plans by the Stellenbosch Municipality and the Council of the City of Cape Town. The Committee had also provided messages of give support to the victims of the disaster.

Report on Housing Budget Public Hearings
The Committee had held public hearings on the Housing Department budget on 12-13 April 2005. Presentations were made by SERVCON Housing Solutions; Thubelisha Homes; the National Home Builders Registration Council; the National Department; the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Departments of Housing and Local Government; the People’s Housing Partnership Trust; the Rural Housing Loan Fund; Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality; the Social Housing Foundation; the National Urban Reconstruction and Housing Agency, and the National Housing Finance Corporation. The report summarised the submissions and recommendations.

The meeting was adjourned.