Question NW503 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
24 June 2020 - NW503
Bagraim, Mr M to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
(a) To whom did her department allocate the houses and sites at Mqhaka Northleigh Farm commonly known as Marikana, (b) what was the tender allocation procedure followed to build houses in Northleigh Farm, (c) was there a Council resolution that her department relied on to build houses at Northleigh Farm, (d) who made the decision that the land should be sold, given the fact that no land could be sold according to a council decision, (e) for what total amount was each piece of land sold to the community and the veterans and (f) was there a certificate of occupation furnished before the occupation of the houses?
Reply:
(a) Honourable Member, in accordance with the established practise applicable to parliamentary questions contained in the document titled, “Guide to Parliamentary Questions in the National Assembly”, I will not be able to provide names of people who were allocated houses and sites as requested. The document referred to prohibits Members of Parliament, including the Executive, from divulging names of persons, bodies when asking or responding to parliamentary questions. It specifically states the following:
“Questions are to be framed as concisely as possible. All unnecessary adjectives, references and quotations are omitted. Names of persons, bodies and, for example, newspapers are only used in questions if the facts surrounding the case have been proven. As the mere mention of such names could be construed as publicity for or against them, it should be clear that this practice is highly undesirable. If a question will be unintelligible without mentioning such names, the Departments concerned are notified of the name (-s) and this phrase is used: ".......a certain person (name furnished)”
(b) In terms of section 7(3) (a) of the Housing Act, 107 of 1997, the MEC is empowered to approve a project and determine the funding to be allocated for it.
(c) There was no Council resolution for the construction of the houses at Northleigh Farm. However, during 2010, the Free State Provincial Department of Human Settlements had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Moqhaka Local Municipality for the construction of infrastructure installation for 2900 erven in Northleigh Farm.
(d) I have been informed that the Moqhaka Local Municipality did not sell any land for the development of the housing project.
(e) Falls away.
(f) Occupation Certificates (also known as happy letters) were issued and signed by beneficiaries before they took occupation of the houses.