Question NW2193 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation

Reply:

(a) According to information received from the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Human Settlements, there are six (6) Housing Projects outstanding since 2016.

Data on the Housing Subsidy System (HSS) captured by the Eastern Cape Province indicates that there are 72 projects within the Buffalo City Municipality, with 27 457 beneficiaries registered on them. Of these 72 projects, 27 projects have already been completed since April 2016.

A total of 45 projects have a “running” status which implies that some expenditure has been incurred. These are at various stages of progress but are yet to be completed.

A total of 17 895 housing units have been delivered in terms of the completed and partially completed (running) projects, as at 30 September 2020. This implies that 9 562 units are in projects that are to be completed in the coming years from the 45 (running) projects.

(b) The reasons for the delays in the housing projects are:

• Lack of integrated planning between the Province and Metropolitan Municipality for the provision and linking of bulk infrastructure and the top structure development;
• Delays in electricity connection leading to deferrals in occupation and sometimes illegal invasion;
• Delays in beneficiary verification in cases where the applicant is deceased and heirloom is not confirmed;
• Untraceable beneficiaries as well as illegal occupation of the completed units, especially those that are 95% completed, awaiting final inspections and electricity connection;
• Poor performance of contractors

c) The Eastern Cape Provincial Business Plan (as revised) has indicated that 1 253 houses are planned to be delivered in Buffalo City Municipality during the current (2020/21) financial year. In the financial year 2021/22, 1 377 units are planned to be built by the Buffalo City Municipality, and in the 2022/23 financial year 1 380 units are planned to be constructed.