Question NW2569 to the Minister of Human Settlements
22 September 2023 - NW2569
Semenya, Ms MR to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
What are the departmental plans to deal with land hunger that contributes to land invasions? (2) Whether her departmental intends to encourage metropolitan municipalities who face land invasion, to utilise section 9(3)(a) of the Housing Act, Act 107 of 1997, to expropriate land for housing; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
- The Department’s plan to deal with land hunger includes the Housing Development Agency’s (HDA) targeted land acquisition of 1500 hectares of both state and privately-owned land parcels. In addition, the Department supports Provinces and the Metropolitan Municipalities to acquire land through various human settlements grant funding mechanisms.
- The Department is encouraging the utilisation of expropriation in terms of section 9(3)(a) of the Housing Act, Act 107 of 1997 by all municipalities. Accordingly, effecting the same clause, through the HDA, the Department has facilitated the process to acquire approximately 42,8243 hectares of land on behalf of the Rustenburg Local Municipality that will be used for the development of housing and human settlements in the North-West Province.