Question NW964 to the Minister of Public Works
07 May 2018 - NW964
Figg, Mr MJ to ask the Minister of Public Works
(1) Whether, with reference to each case of unutilised land referred to in the reply to question 2752 on 6 November 2017, the land (a) is or has been subject to any land claims or land reform programmes and (b) is located in an (i) urban, (ii) peri-urban or (iii) rural area; (2) why has the land remained unutilised in each case?
Reply:
1. (a) The Department of Public Works has been informed by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform of land parcels within its portfolio that are earmarked for the resolution of land claims. The detailed list of properties under the Department’s custodianship earmarked for land claims is attached as Annexure A.
(b) (i), (ii) and (iii) The location of these properties is indicated in the list of properties attached.
(2) The land parcels have remained vacant, in the main, for the same reasons that vacancy exists in the bigger portfolio under the custodianship of the National Department of Public Works (NDPW). In this regard, and among other things:
- the land in the portfolio is reserved to address future accommodation needs of national User departments, noting that well situated land is a scarce resource; and
- the land in the portfolio is also kept in trust to address other key Government objectives, such as human settlements and land reform programmes in alignment with the requirements of the relevant departments running these programmes;
Notwithstanding the above, the NDPW seeks to let out all unutilised land with the objective of raising income to cover rates and taxes costs and to ensure the properties are secured through use.
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