Question NW1517 to the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
17 June 2021 - NW1517
Powell, Ms EL to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
Whether (a) the Msunduzi Local Municipality, (b) the Kwa-Zulu Natal Provincial Department of Human Settlements and/or (c) her department have any plans to (i) formalise, (ii) undertake an upgrading of informal settlement programme and (iii) provide relief to the residents of Jika Joe Informal Settlement in Ward 33 of the Msunduzi Local Municipality; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
(i) Honourable Member, the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Department of Human Settlements and Msunduzi Local Municipality confirmed that plans are afoot to formalise the Jika Joe informal settlements.
(ii) I have been informed that the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Department of Human Settlements will undertake an upgrading of informal settlement programme within Msudunzi Local Municipality, which will include the Jika Joe informal settlement. The Municipality has identified Ethembeni and Signal Hill Housing Projects, which are at Planning Stage, for the potential beneficiaries who will not qualify to rent in the Community Residential Units.
(iii) The Kwazulu Natal Provincial Department of Human Settlements provided relief for people whose shacks were destroyed by a fire. The 174 beneficiaries were given materials in 2020 to rebuild their dwellings. It must also be noted that more than 350 temporary structures were built from 2014 to cater for the people whose shacks were affected by fire and those who were on the flood line and under power lines.