Question NW113 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
05 March 2021 - NW113
Powell, Ms EL to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
Will she furnish Ms E L Powell with the full details of every temporary residential unit project of her department across the Republic that commenced between 1 March 2020 and 1 October 2020, which (a) exceeded R70 000 per unit cost including civil works and infrastructure costs and (b) did not comply with National Norms and Standards as per the National Housing Code: Volume 4: Part 3: Emergency Housing Programme?
Reply:
Honourable Member, in Region A (Western Cape, Eastern Cape and the North Cape Provinces):
(a) All the TRUs under implementation do not exceed R70 000 per unit.
(b) The Mdantsane/Duncan Village project yield is 1174, of which 276 units have been completed. The TRUs do not comply with the National Norms and Standards (SANS 517) according to the assessment conducted by the NHBRC. A rational design was carried out by an independent Structural Engineer to ensure that the minimum norms and standards as outlined in the National Housing Code Volume 4 are met and exceeded in some circumstances.
In Region B (Gauteng, Limpopo and the North West Provinces):
(a) All the TRUS under implementation do not exceed R70 000 per unit.
(b) There are 40 units in Limpopo Province (Talana Project located in Tzaneen) which, according to the assessment done by the NHBRC do not comply with the national norms and standards e.g SANS 517.
However, having taken cognisance of the NHBRC report, the Housing Development Agency (HDA) has since appointed independent Engineers to oversee the corrective measures that are currently being implemented and in progress.