Question NW2064 to the Minister of Human Settlements
20 June 2022 - NW2064
Ceza, Mr K to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
What total amount in revenue has been lost by her department in purchasing land from white farmers to enable municipalities to provide land to build houses, particulary for displaced and evicted farm dwellers, who are pushed by farmers to the township and deprived buriel lands?
Reply:
Matters related to the eviction of farm dwellers including land purchase and accommodation thereof is a function of the Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development. The Human Settlements National and Provincial Departments provide support to farm dwellers as provided for by the Housing Code in terms of the Farm Residents Subsidy which covers the following:-
a) A flexible approach to cater to the variety of farm residents’ housing needs across the country;
b) The provision of secure tenure to farm workers;
c) The promotion of healthy and safe living environments;
d) The empowerment of farm residents’ (and in particular women) to participate in the provision of their own housing needs, as appropriate in the particular farming situation;
e) Where possible, promoting access to social and economic amenities;
f) Promoting access to economic opportunities not related to farming (particular when seasonal farm work is not available) (particularly when seasonal farm work is not available) for households where appropriate;
g) The encouragement of sustainable spatial settlement patterns and discouraging the development of farm residents housing that places an additional service delivery burden on municipalities;
h) The use of local labour and the development of skills in both developing and maintaining farm resident settlements; and
i) The upgrading of existing farm resident housing and improving the security of tenure where feasible and practicable
Total funds spent between 2020/21 - 2021/22 financial year by the Provincial Departments on housing programmes is shown below:
