Question NW2326 to the Minister of Human Settlements
15 November 2016 - NW2326
Sithole, Mr KP to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
(1)(a) What is the total number of hostels in the country and (b) how many hostels (i) still need to be renovated and (ii) have been renovated and (c) how much did it cost the department to renovate these hostels; (2) with regard to the hostels that are not yet renovated (a) when is her department planning to renovate them, (b) how many will be renovated in the 2016-17 financial year and (c) what amount has been budgeted for the renovations of these hostels?
Reply:
(1) (a) There are 101 public sector owned hostels in the country. This excludes hostels which are privately owned but located on land which belongs to government or vice versa as well as hostels currently in the process of being negotiated to be donated by the private sector and/or being transferred to Government.
(b) (i) Of the 101 public sector owned 49 hostels still have to be renovated.
(ii) Of the 101 public sector owned 52 hostels have been renovated.
(c) The total cost of hostel renovations and/or refurbishment to date is R2 898 174 412.40.
(2) (a) The Department in conjunction with provinces and municipalities has put in place a strategy which will ensure that all public sector hostels are integrated in the overall Provincial and Municipal Human Settlements Development plans. These include redevelopment and/or refurbishment and/or relocation of residents out of hostels into affordable rental and/or fully subsidised housing.
However, the implementation of the plans spans over multiple financial years due to the large number of persons and/or households which must be catered for and, the budgetary limitations. The aim is to transform the hostel environment into a family environment.
(b) A total of eight (8) hostels have been planned for renovation by the Provinces during 2016/17 financial year and work has commenced on the aforementioned hostels
(c) A total of R851 850 727.00 has been budgeted for the redevelopment and/or renovation of these hostels.