Question NW3107 to the Minister of Human Settlements
04 September 2015 - NW3107
Gqada, Ms T to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
(a) What progress has been made with regard to the National Upgrading Support Programme and (b) what amount has been spent to date?
Reply:
The National Upgrading Support Programme (NUSP) provides technical assistance to municipalities for the development of Municipal Upgrading Strategies and Programmes, Community Capacity Building Programmes, Livelihood Strategies and Settlement Upgrading Plans. To date 987 informal settlements have been assessed and categorised, 135 informal settlements are in process of being assessed and categorised, 334 settlement plans have been developed, 242 settlement plans are in process of being developed, 35 municipal strategies / programmes have been completed and 6 municipal strategies/programmes are in progress. An upgrading manual for human settlements practitioners have been completed, a dedicated NUSP website (www.upgrading.support.org) is operational and a monthly newsletter is being produced. An investigation on tenure options on tribal land is currently being conducted.
A budget of R70 million is allocated to the NUSP in the 2015/16 financial year. In terms of the project allocation, R12.4 million is committed to signed contracts, R29.6 million is in the process of being committed on approved projects, R10 million has been allocated for Technical Support and an amount of R5 million earmarked for implementation of the Capacity Building Programme. The total amount committed or in procurement process is R57 million. An amount of R7.7 million has been spent to date.