Question NW1318 to the Minister of Human Settlements

Reply:

Honourable Member, the Vulindlela Housing Project is a rural Enhanced People’s Housing Process project, implemented on Ingonyama land in the Umgungundlovu District Municipality within the uMsunduzi Municipality. It is an embodiment of the principles of community involvement and institutionalisation of the participatory approach in delivering integrated sustainable human settlements.

The Vulindlela community established the Vulindlela Development Association (VDA), a Section 21 Company made up of the leadership of the five tribal authorities of the Vulindlela area. The VDA started the Vulindlela project after it secured approval from the MEC for Human Settlements in KwaZulu Natal. The project is meant to deliver 25 000 PHP units in nine (9) Wards over five (5) years, which was later extended to eight years. This is the first PHP project to be delivered at such a large scale. To date, 15928 units have been completed.

Over and above the implementation of the project through the people’s Housing Process (PHP) programme, I wish to summarise other project benefits as follows:

1. The Cooperative model implemented within the project had transformed the lives of the people in and around Vulindlela. The ownership of the business interests within this project rests with the beneficiaries who are part of the various Cooperatives set up;
2. Jobs have been created and the community upskilled on numerous construction and related skills. Local contractors are utilized and promoted business partnerships to ensure long term growth and sustainability;
3. Poverty eradicated because of employment opportunities created;
4. The project has harnessed social cohesion amongst different political groups from various tribal divides;
5. The community has been empowered to partner with government and take charge of their own development;
6. The institutional arrangements within the project allowed for a top-down and bottom-up approach, no decisions were imposed on beneficiaries and
7. Capacity building initiatives were delivered at scale e.g. Experiential learning was offered to technical students, accredited construction management course was offered and beneficiaries interested to participate in the project were trained on the different construction skills including block/brick laying, masonry, carpentry, painting, plastering works etc.

(a) & (b) As alluded to above, the Vulindlela People’s Housing Process housing project does not use contractors.

(i)The project is implemented through the People’s Housing Process Programme utilising the Cooperative model.

(ii) There are fifteen (15) Cooperatives established and working in the nine (9) wards within the Vulindlela Project. There are nine (9) Construction Cooperatives established, one (1) in each Ward, divided into slab, wall plate and completion, three (3) Block Yard Cooperatives where door and window frames, three (3) Transport Cooperatives.