Question NW1664 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
24 December 2019 - NW1664
Powell, Ms EL to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
(1)Whether she will outline how the appointment of the former Minister of Social Development, Ms B O Dlamini, as chairperson of the interim board of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority will enhance the performance and reputation of the entity towards its goal of restructuring and developing new systems, policies and procedures by 2019; (2) (a) what (i) was the justification for the above-inflation increase in the salary of a certain person (details furnished) and (ii) is the salary of the specified person for the 2020-21 financial year and (b) how is the increase justified when the entity has failed to meet its targets; (3) in light of the statement by the Minister of Finance, Mr T T Mboweni, that the public wage bill of the Republic needs to be cut by R150 billion, what budget cuts to the remuneration of public office bearers does she intend to implement and (b) by what date will the budget cuts to the remuneration and allowance of public office bearers take place?
Reply:
(1) To ensure the validity of the data the Department of Human Settlements has been working on and which was received from municipalities, we have been comparing this with the data from the Department of Social Development as its records are comprehensive in respect of those who require social protection from the state. The data held by the Department of Social Development is credible, based on processes approved by government.
In line with the decision of the United Nations to ensure that all social protection should be packaged together by 2020, we are on track to complete that process which already started in 2012. By the end of this process we will have all those who are entitled to benefit from social assistance disaggregated according to the various categories of the state’s assistance for housing. This will assist us to ensure that the rampant duplication of demands by people who have previously benefited is curbed and sift those who do not need free housing but require other assistance in the acquisition of housing. One of these is social housing, which is provided to a particular category of subsidised housing.
With her intimate knowledge of the process of building a social assistance database, Ms Dlamini will be able to guide the process.
(a)(i) The salary increase resolved upon by the Council of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA) for the CEO of SHRA was 6%. This was made up of a 5,5% inflation linked cost of living increase plus an additional 0,5% performance linked increase arising from the 2017/18 performance result. This is in accordance with the SHRA remuneration policy and the terms of the employment contract.
(ii) The salary of SHRA CEO for the 2020/21 financial year has not yet been determined by the SHRA Council.
(b) Falls away.
(3)(a) I have no authority over the salaries of Public Office Bearers, like yourself. In terms of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office- Bearers Act, 1997, the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office -Bearers is mandated to make annual recommendations relating to the salaries and /or the upper limits of the salaries, allowances and benefits of Public Office –Bearers.
(b) Refer to (3)(a) above.