Question NW2881 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
16 December 2020 - NW2881
Mohlala, Ms MR to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
With regard to her new proposal of giving persons land instead of houses, (a) on what date will the specified programme begin and (b) what assurances will she give that the programme will not further entrench apartheid spatial planning, wherein black people were forced to live in areas far away from city centres?
Reply:
(a) The rapid land release programme has commenced through the reprioritisation of the budget allocation for the 2020/21 Human Settlements Development Grant and the Urban Settlements Development Grant.
(b) The land that is released to beneficiaries to build houses for themselves is primarily identified within the declared priority development areas.
The priority development areas are intended to advance Human Settlements Spatial Transformation and Consolidation by ensuring that the delivery of housing is used to foster new integrated, functional and inclusive urban forms that can overcome apartheid spatial patterns.
Typically, these land parcels are well located areas that provide convenient access to social amenities such as schools, health facilities and job opportunities. For example, Elijah Barayi, Westonaria Borwa and Montrose Mega projects located within the Gauteng West Rand have serviced sites earmarked for Rapid Land Release as part of Mega human settlements development and make provision for the required socio-economic amenities.
Therefore, the Rapid Land Release Plan will not compromise the spatial transformation agenda.