Question NW464 to the Minister of Human Settlements
09 September 2024 - NW464
Kegakilwe, Ms BM to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
In light of the fact that in the 6th Administration, the priority of her department was to unblock the blocked housing projects, what is the total number of (a) stalled and/or blocked projects that have been unblocked so far and (b) completed houses that have been handed over to their rightful owners since the start of this programme?
Reply:
(a) Unblocking Stalled Projects
The 6th Administration prioritized addressing the issue of blocked housing projects, which significantly hamper housing delivery. A blocked project is defined as an approved project that has been contractually committed, has commenced planning and physical phases, but has experienced a significant delay (at least 12 months) and is not nearing completion (less than 95% complete).
In collaboration with Provincial Departments, the Department undertook a comprehensive exercise to identify and list all blocked projects. The sector then worked collaboratively in actively unblocking these projects. These collaborative efforts and the use of digitized monitoring tools like the Dashboard further demonstrate the Department's dedication to resolving this critical issue.
The Department's records indicate that as at end March 2024 there were 3150 unblocked housing projects out of 3445. There were 295 blocked housing projects carried over from the previous administration. The Department is actively working to address the remaining backlog, with 100 projects targeted for intervention in the 2024/2025 financial year.
(b) Completed Houses and Handovers
During the 6th Administration, the department made significant strides in delivering housing units to beneficiaries. A total of 240,933 houses were completed and handed over to their rightful owners. This achievement demonstrates substantial progress towards the target of 292,946 units.
The Department remains steadfast in its commitment to accelerating housing delivery and ensuring that more South Africans have access to safe and dignified housing. We continue to implement various strategies, including unblocking stalled projects, optimizing resource allocation, and fostering partnerships with key stakeholders to achieve this goal.