Question NW2504 to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
05 July 2023 - NW2504
Siwisa, Ms AM to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
(1)With reference to the information provided to the Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure on 7 June 2023 that there are 238 land parcels in KwaZulu-Natal and that 18 of those have already been identified, what total number of the land parcels are situated in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, where flood victims are still accommodated in halls and other temporary structures; (2) whether any of the land parcels have been handed over to the Department of Human Settlements in order to build houses for flood victims to restore their dignity; if not, why not; if so, (a)(i) what total number of land parcels was handed over and (ii) on what date and (b) what are the relevant details of the memoranda of understanding between her department and the Department of Human Settlements?
Reply:
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:
1. The Department availed a list of 258 vacant land parcels from its Immovable Asset Register to the Housing Development Agency (HDA) in support to accommodate the flood victims in KZN. The HDA applied its housing suitability criteria matrix which included environmental considerations and encumbrances and requested 5 land parcels within eThekwini to be availed. The below table indicates the land parcels made available within eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. Table 1 refers:
|
No. |
Province |
Municipality |
Property description |
|
1 |
KZN |
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality |
Remainder of Portion 36 of Erf 4076 Reservoir Hills |
|
2 |
Remainder of Erf 306 Verulam |
||
|
3 |
Remainder of Erf 305 Verulam |
||
|
4 |
Portion 29 of farm Drift No. 906 FT |
||
|
5 |
Portion 49 of farm Drift No. 906 FT |
Further to the above, the Department processed 04 land parcels in support of flood victims in the uMsunduzi Local Municipality. Table 2 refers.
|
No. |
Province |
Municipality |
Property description |
|
1 |
KZN |
uMsunduzi Local Municipality |
Portion 81 of Erf 5 Edendale |
|
2 |
Portion 82 of Erf 5 Edendale |
||
|
3 |
Erf 6 Dennisfield |
||
|
4 |
Erf 39 Dennisfield |
In support of human development, the Department processed additional 13 land parcels for release to the HDA across provinces. HDA indicated that the land parcels released within KZN will also be utilised to support communities affected by the floods, in particular Portion 891, Erf. 76 Cato Manor within eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality.
2. (a) DPWI have approved released of the land parcels to the Housing Development Agency and have issued the Special Power of Attorney (SPOA) for commencement of the Town Planning processes whilst awaiting National Treasury endorsement and the initiation of transfer and conveyancing processes.
(b) The DPWI supports spatial transformation by releasing DPWI identified land parcels to the (HDA) for human settlement purposes. This is done in terms of both Departments constitutional mandates as well as in terms of the Departmental Disposal Policy that supports the social disposals. Further to the above, reference is made to the Cabinet Memorandum No.03 of 2019 (Cab memo) which approved that the state-owned land identified as suitable for human settlement development be released to the HDA as well as the issuing of the Power of Attorney in favour of the HDA.