Question NW2270 to the Minister of Human Settlements

Reply:

(1) (a) The Honourable member would be aware that I undertook to ensure that we have a credible Housing Database. This would include cleaning the housing waiting list and ensure that it is centralised to avoid double-dipping and related challenges. We also undertook to ensure that we prioritise the elderly and child-headed households. To this end, my Department has signed a service level agreement with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) in line with this undertaking. The service level agreement with SITA caters for National Housing Needs Register on which households can record their housing needs.

Provinces and municipalities are encouraged to make use of the National Housing Needs Register system as it provides for a fair transparent and just process of selection of prospective subsidy beneficiaries and allows for regional specific preferential selection criteria. The System is linked to National Guidelines for the Allocation of Housing Opportunities created through the National Housing Programmes.

Currently, there are no records for uMshwathi Local Municipality on the National Housing Needs Register and the municipality has not implemented the National Housing Needs Register.

(2) (a) Based on project information registered on the Housing Subsidy System HSS), 182 houses were completed in the 2014 -15 financial year and

(b) The total cost for building these 182 houses was approximately R13 628 453;

(3) (a) The 2015/16 provincial business plan indicates that no houses are planned for construction in this financial year. There are two projects under the Integrated Residential Development Programme: Phase 1 and another project under the Enhanced Extended Discount Benefit Scheme (EEDBS).

(b) The Umshwathi Slums Clearance project has a budget of R49 236 000 and the Umshwathi Dalton/ Cool Air project has a budget of R7 750 000. The Umshwathi Cool Air EEDBS Project has a project budget of R7 000.00.