Question NW4231 to the Minister of Human Settlements
25 November 2022 - NW4231
Buthelezi, Ms SA to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
Whether she will furnish Ms. SA Buthelezi with the details of how her department has addressed the project management shortfalls which resulted in the (a) delays and (b) lack of compliance in the construction of Temporary Relief Units (TRUs) in KwaZulu- Natal; if not why not; if so, what are the relevant details of (i) any measures that have been taken to increase project management capacity and (ii) the revised plan of her department to monitor the construction of TRUs to ensure quality completion of the promised units?
Reply:
a) Several initiatives have been adopted by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements to address delays resulting in project management shortfalls. Firstly, additional service providers have been appointed to expedite the construction of Temporary Residential Units (TRUs).
Secondly, built environment professionals have been appointed to expenditure any land planning development required including Town and Regional Planners, Urban Planners, Civil Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Environment Management Specialists, and Build Control Inspectors.
Thirdly, during the early stages of implementing recovery efforts, a need to appoint social facilitators was identified and this has since been addressed. Lastly, the Housing Development Agency (HDA) an entity of the National Department of Human Settlements has been appointed by the Province as a Project Manager. Therefore, any initial project management shortfalls have been adequately addressed and continue to be attended to as they arise.
b) The monitoring of the quality of TRUs occurs at various levels and by various spheres and entities of government. As a result, all TRUs constructed are in compliance with the norms and standards contained in the National Housing Code of 2009 and are subjected to quality control inspections by the Provincial quality assurors prior to payment of any service providers. In addition, both the National and the Provincial Departments conduct verification of the TRUs in order to ensure adherence to policy and construction standards. Furthermore, the Office of the Auditor-General as well as the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation conduct physical verification and quality assessment on samples of TRUs that have been constructed.