Hansard: NA: Mini-plenary 1

House: National Assembly

Date of Meeting: 10 May 2022

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Minutes

UNREVISED HANSARD
MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
TUESDAY, 10 MAY 2022
VOTE NO 33 – HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
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APPROPRIATION BILL
Debate on Vote No 33 – Human Settlements:

The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: Deputy Speaker, Chairperson for the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, hon Semenya, and all members of the portfolio committee, acknowledge the Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, hon Pam Tshwete, Members of Executive Council, MECs, for Human Settlements who have joined virtually as well, Chairpersons and members of boards and councils of Human Settlements Entities, Director-General of Human Settlements, Mr Tshangana, together with deputy director-generals, chief executive officers, CEOs, of entities, hon members.
Our government derives its approach to human settlements from an injunction contained in the Freedom Charter that says:
There Shall Be Houses, Security and Comfort.

In truth, the demand for sustainable human settlements in our country has been on the increase and our pace of delivery has been slower than the rate of increase. As I stand here before you today to deliver this budget vote, those who have been waiting for a housing opportunity, for what seems forever are hopeful that the plans we are going to announce today are going to respond to their needs. They are also eager to hear how we intend to implement our plans.
It is within this context that we have adopted a continuous improvement approach to our work. Accordingly, we have effected changes within the human settlements delivery system that are aimed at ensuring that we continuously improve the efficiency, quality and speed of delivery of our products. The processes of stabilising the human settlements entities are at an advanced stage with all boards being appointed and majority of the entities have completed the processes of the appointments of the executives and we will be making announcements in the coming weeks.

To deal with the blockages and the slow pace of delivery, we have established a national Human Settlements War Room; with Mr Dan Gorbachev Mashitisho, the former Director General of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, as the convener and the head of this War Room.
In this work he will be supported by a team of highly specialised individuals who will bring a broad range of much needed skills to the sector. These individuals include: Mr
Abongile Dyariwe, project and construction management
specialist with a Master’s Degree in Built Environment; Ms
Patience Ntombifikile Ndlovu, a specialist in Urban planning
with a Masters in Urban & Regional Planning; Dr Mmaphaka
Ephraim Tau, who is a Governance, Strategic Leadership and
Development expert, most of us would know him as he has
recently just left as Head of the National Disaster Management
Centre; Mr Kwena Maphoto, infrastructure development
specialist who is a professional technologist in civil
engineering.
Among other things the War Room team will be expected to do
the following: coordinate efforts, monitor and fast-track the
implementation of diverse projects across provinces;


 
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coordinate support of various entities and consolidate
reporting to the War Room; provide project tracking tools on
all projects to monitor and to report to the War Room;
identify strategic partners that could assist to unblock
challenges in project implementation; create an enabling
environment for cooperative governance in line with
Intergovernmental Relations Act.
In addition to the technical capacity that we will be bringing
and we have brought into the department and entities, we have
made some policy changes that are aimed at ensuring we expand
the speed and quality of delivery. These include the
following:
In the current financial year, the revised bands for the
Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme now called
Help-Me-Buy-A-Home will come into effect. Meaning this
actually has come into effect on the 1st of April because our
financial year starts on the 1st of April.
Again as of the 1st of April the applicable subsidy quantums
have been revised from what existed in 2018 by 20,9% to ensure
that we remain consistent with the ability of the department,


 
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through its implementing agents, to continue and improve
delivery.
Again, the revision of the income bands has been revised, that
currently now we are implementing to have those who qualify
between R1 850 to R22 000 gross monthly income to qualify for
social housing, which also came into effect on the 1st of
April.
It is almost a month after the coastal parts of KwaZulu-Natal
experienced extremely heavy rainfalls, causing severe damage
in the eThekwini Metro and the districts, amongst others, of
King Cetshwayo, iLembe, Ugu and Umgungundlovu; I know recently
we added Harry Gwala into the list. More than 15 000 houses
were damaged, these were split between fully damaged houses
and partially destroyed houses.
These seasonal floods that are strongly linked to the carbon
emission induced in climate change, have also damaged houses
in the Eastern Cape province, most of which were mud houses
whose weak structures could not withstand the heavy floods.
The areas affected in the Eastern Cape are Alfred Nzo, OR
Tambo and Joe Gqabi District Municipalities.


 
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The North West and Western Cape provinces were also affected
by both floods and fires respectively.
Let me take this opportunity to thank Team Human Settlements
across the country in the manner that they worked to respond
to these disasters; a special tribute to the team that worked
in KwaZulu-Natal.
I have received an updated report that so far the KwaZulu-
Natal team has complied with what has been required by
Auditor-General and the team that is led by the director-
general in the Presidency in terms of real time audit
prescripts.
I continue to urge all the teams not to drop the ball, as this
will build confidence in our communities that we are spending
their resources correctly, but more importantly, we are
accountable.
Those who are affected by such disasters require alternative
shelter immediately and those who want to repair the damages
to their homes as soon as it is possible require us to assist
them.


 
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To make this possible, we introduced a number of new
directives applicable to provincial departments and
municipalities so that we change the manner of intervention in
disaster areas. These directives include 24-hour turnaround
period for the assessments of disaster and fast-tracking of
repairs through a voucher system.
With regard to financing, provinces and metros are now allowed
to utilize available funds from Human Settlements Development
Grant, HSDG, Urban Settlements Development Grant, USDG, and
Informal Settlements Upgrading Programme, ISUP, to intervene
in dealing with the damages; this within our grants.
For the financial year 2022-23, the department’s budget
allocation amounts to R33 billion, of which R18,7 billion is
allocated to provincial grants, R11,7 billion for municipal
grants and R1,6 billion will be transferred to Human
Settlements entities. We will make every effort to ensure that
we deploy these resources as efficiently as we can so that we
can get more for less, as expected.
In this regard, the Human Settlements Development Grant
Framework for the 2022-23 financial year now provides for


 
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provinces and municipalities to access up to a maximum of 30%
of the HSDG to fund bulk and link infrastructure services.
This will unlock some of the blocked projects in our country,
increase opportunities for public/private partnerships and
increase the provision of services stands for more people who
can afford to build for themselves to do so. Most importantly,
this will help us to improve expenditure.
Furthermore, in the financial year 2022-23, working together
with the National Treasury, we will start implementing the
front-loading in two provinces, namely, Northern Cape and
Eastern Cape, as announced by the Minister of Finance, which
will allow us to attend to the blocked projects, significantly
increase the scale of housing delivery in a short space of
time.
On informal settlements, the baseline evaluation done by the
department confirmed that there are almost 2 700 informal
settlements in South Africa. A majority of these settlements
are located in unsuitable land that is prone to housing
emergencies.


 
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I have been engaging many communities in informal settlements,
firstly, is to discourage illegal occupation of land and
request municipalities to ensure that we don’t allow anymore
illegal occupation of land. This illegal occupation of land
denies us an opportunity to plan and implement human
settlements programs properly. More, these are the areas which
have been mainly affected by disasters and leads to losses of
lives that we have seen recently.
I will be issuing a Ministerial directive in accordance with
section 29 of the Housing Development Agency, HDA, Act to
authorize HDA to drive interventions on upgrading informal
settlements and ensure faster turnaround time in provision of
basic services, to give dignity and comply with human rights
needs in our communities.
This, we do because it has been heart breaking to see the
conditions of some of these communities such as Siyakhana
informal settlements here in Cape Town; actually we have been
dealing with almost about 16 new informal settlements, now I’m
told they are 19, where basic services that give human dignity
are not provided. The Duncan Village in Buffalo City
Municipality; you know we have a project there, but when you


 
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look at the condition of that informal settlement, it’s heart
breaking. Zandspruit in Johannesburg, amongst others. These
are just a few that I’m counting, but we have many. And this
say to us, we have to drastically improve this area of work
because we will be found wanting in terms of human rights
issues.
The department has set aside a three-year period starting from
2022-25 financial years to close off all the blocked projects
in the country. The department intends to undertake a scoping
exercise that will include site verification and estimation of
all cost implications for the unblocking of the projects and a
diagnostic report will be completed by the end of this
financial year.
I would like to also indicate that part of our work revolves
around the public/private partnership and our work around the
Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Central to the
implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery
Plan is the stimulation of aggressive infrastructure
investments. This requires government to make effort to crowd-
in private sector investments through mutually beneficial
public private partnership.


 
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During 2021-22 the department published a Request for Proposal
calling on private developers to partner with government in
Integrated Human Settlements Project Development.
The department received 95 proposals which come from
individual companies, consortiums, developers and communities
that own parcels of land.
It is encouraging to learn that some of the land parcels were
awarded through the land restitution programme which is part
of the Land Reform Programme that we are seeing these
applications coming from.
Pronouncements regarding the first phase will be made after
the successful conclusion and signing of the public/private
partnerships arrangements. It is anticipated that this will
yield opportunities for the medium to low income earners.
In this financial year the department will implement its
efforts towards affordable housing programme in mining
communities in partnership with the mining companies. This we
say, parallel to the Mining Indaba that is happening, in
partnership with what we want to see in our communities.


 
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To strengthen our partnership with mining companies we are
currently developing a partnership framework between
government and mining companies that will guide the joint
design and implementation of partnership projects in
identified municipalities. This remains a critical area that
we would want to see work increasing.
The demand for social housing and student housing is
overwhelming. Our Social Housing Programme has about
R140 billion worth of assets.
In his fourth state of the nation address, His Excellency
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that R64 billion of the
R700 billion from the Infrastructure Fund will be spent on
social housing and student accommodation.
Social Housing Regulatory Authority, SHRA, partnered with the
Infrastructure Fund to develop six new social housing projects
from transformed delivery agents with an allocation
R305 million over the next two years.
In an effort to facilitate access to ownership among
government employees by utilising the Help-Me-Buy-a-Home


 
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Subsidy as an instrument. The National Housing Finance
Corporation, NHFC, has signed a memorandum of understanding,
MoU, with Government Employees Housing Scheme, GEHS. The MoU
will enable qualifying government employees to access the
Help-Me-Buy-a-Home programme which previously was known as
Financed Linked Subsidy Programme, FLISP, subsidies.
Currently, the total number of employees eligible to receive
the monthly housing allowance is almost a million.
On the land reform, which is one of the critical programmes of
this administration, in accordance with the presidential
pronouncement on the release of state-owned land for purposes
of human settlements. The department ... sorry ...
On the issue of land redistribution, the Department of Public
Works and Infrastructure has released 36 land parcels
measuring 2 493 hectares and the remainder of the land to be
transferred will be done in various phases. The released land
parcels will promptly be planned and developed to address
inter alia, rural housing programmes including farm worker
housing, affordable housing, land tenure upgrading as well as
informal settlements upgrading. This is done through public


 
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works giving power of attorneys to HDA to drive this programme
together.
We have not moved at the pace that was expected of us and
given the ongoing title deeds backlog and associated
challenges in this area. So, the department here has partnered
with the Banking Association of South Africa, BASA, to fast-
track the delivery of title deeds to housing beneficiaries who
are still without a title deed. This will be done by utilising
the Youth Employment Services, YES, programme to try and
assist us in doing this. In this way we are dealing with, one,
youth unemployment; two, fast-tracking of the service delivery
we need but also showcasing the public/private partnership
model that works better.
The NHFC, with the City of Cape Town, has appointed 130 Small,
Medium and Micro Enterprises, SMMEs, in construction that have
already employed 8 000 people to repair rental accommodation
in the City. The NHFC ensures that these SMMEs are paid within
14 days instead of the 30 days allowed by National Treasury.
These builders are appointed to work in the communities where
they live and they hire people from the same community,
ensuring that the funds used for the repairs improve the lives


 
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of the communities as a whole. The NHFC is finalising a
contract with Nelson Mandela Bay to appoint SMMEs on a similar
basis to construct Breaking New Ground, BNG, houses.
The HDA has developed and deployed a dashboard that tracks the
implementation of transformation and empowerment in all HDA
programmes. The dashboard tracks how much is spent on
businesses owned by women, by youth, by persons with
disabilities and by military veterans as percentage of the
annual total procurement. This is part of our work towards
ensuring transformation and putting our money where our mouth
is.
The National Home Builders Registration Council, NHBRC, on the
other hand, has reviewed its investment strategy and has
included as one of its investment portfolios in the NHBRC’s
Warranty Fund, a Housing Development Investment Fund.
The objective of the Housing Development Investment Fund is to
invest in projects that facilitate access to affordable
housing and finance thereof for the low-to-middle income South
African households, most of whom do not qualify for subsidy


 
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houses and do not qualify for home loans. This is the category
we call the gap market.
This proposed solution is underpinned by the NHBRC’s
commitment in assisting with funding housing developments.
On the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority, PPRA,
which came to effect on the 1st February 2022 replacing the
Estate Agency affairs Board, EAAB. The PPRA has got an
expanded mandate that covers property practitioners in the
value chain which requires extensive stakeholder management.
The entity is expected to establish a Transformation Fund that
will be used to empower historically disadvantaged property
practitioners. This intervention will cover areas such as
training and consumer awareness.
The National Development Plan, NDP, emphasizes the need for
government to partner with communities in delivering of
services. The People’s Housing Process, PHP, Programme talks
directly to this notion. This is in line with the government’s
broad vision which emphasizes the need to adopt a people-
centred service delivery approach. The aim of this approach is
to create a more responsive and accountable communities that


 
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participate in the development of their own communities. We
will be engaging provinces such as Eastern Cape to fully
explore this model, especially in the eradication of mud
houses. [Time expired.] [Inaudible.] ... we believe that
through the technical and policy mechanisms we have put in
place, the sector will soon turn a corner and embark on more
progressive trajectory. By bringing together government,
private sector, communities and labour to be active
participants we will achieve our goals sooner rather than
later.
As the human settlements family, we echo the words of
President Nelson Mandela [Interjections.] [Inaudible.] ... in
his address at the opening of Parliament in February 1995 when
... [Interjections.] [Inaudible.] ... building is in progress
[Interjections.] [Inaudible.] ... leaders and a people that
rolls up its sleeves in partnerships ... [Interjections.]
[Inaudible.] ... country of our dreams!”
Hon members, I hereby table Budget Vote No: 33 from the Human
Settlements Department together with priorities ...
[Interjections.] [Inaudible.] ... 2022-23. Thank you.


 
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The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Please, keep your ear sharp so that you
hear me when I speak. The Minister did not hear me. Watch your
time. The clock is there for you, at least. Go ahead.
Ms M R SEMENYA: Okay, thank you. Good afternoon, Deputy
Speaker, members of this august House, the Minister and Deputy
Minister of Human Settlements and other executive council
members who are part of this Budget Vote. Deputy Speaker, the
ANC Lives: ANC Leads! This Budget Vote best evident. The
Government Employees Housing Scheme is a game changer for the
so-called missing middle who do not earn enough to qualify for
a bond but earns too much to qualify for an RDP house.
Our country is still reeling from the devastating effects of
the pandemic, the July unrest, and the recent floods that
ravaged the Eastern part of South Africa. Many of our people
have lost their lives and jobs due to this catastrophic
events, and they only have our caring government to turn to.
The Constitution guarantees everyone the right to adequate
housing and the government must take responsible legislative
and other measures within its available resources to achieve
the progressive realisation of this right. We therefore have
no choice with the responsibility on our shoulders.


 
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It is for this reason, as the ANC, support this Budget Vote of
2022-23 financial year for the Department of Human Settlements
and its entities as presented by our ... [Inaudible.] ...
Minister Kubayi. We need our communities to get a shelter as
soon as yesterday. We therefore urge the Minister and her
department to do everything humanly possible to start
implementing the budget as tabled.
Human Settlement is one of the key pillars of the economic
reconstruction and recovery plan. It provides opportunity for
gender equality and economic inclusion of women and youth. As
we speak today, there are many women that have realised their
potential through their meaningful participation in Human
Settlement sector consultants amongst other opportunities. I
was once invited to a celebration of women in construction,
where women were demonstrating their capabilities and
achievements in construction.
Human Settlement sector involves a lot of construction which
requires various skills and resources. In this regard, our
ANC-led government has prioritised infrastructure development
as being central to the economic reconstruction and recovery.
Through the infrastructure fund, the ANC-led government would


 
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invest an amount of R96 billion in student accommodation,
social housing, telecommunication, water and sanitation and
transport sector.
As the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, we appreciate
the department and its entities for ensuring that at least 50%
catalytic project with a value of R2,6 billion will commence
during this financial year. The ANC applauds the commitment
made by the department and its entities for supporting the
reconstruction and recovery plan through the plan expenditure
of R357 million on procurement by companies that are compliant
with the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment, BBBEE.
We call for the urgent establishment of the Human Settlements
Development Bank as pronounced by the President in 2019 state
of the nation address. Human Settlements Development Bank will
increase the provision of finance across the Human Settlements
Value Chain, support effective transformation of Human
Settlement sector, enhance integration and coherence of Human
Settlement grants with other sources of funding to create
sustainable and meaningful housing finance opportunity.


 
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This is the realisation of one of the ANC’s National
Conference resolution to ensure that the housing market is
accessible to the vast majority working people of our country
that do not qualify for the Human Settlement Development
Programme, as it prioritises those people or households whose
total income is not more than 3 500 per month. The ANC-led
government has introduced the finance Linked Individual
Subsidy Programme which is now called the help me buy a house
programme to assist all those households whose total income is
more than R3 500 but less than R22 000.
As the ANC in the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, we
are going to ensure that the department and its entities
achieve their target in relation to this housing subsidy
programme. For this financial year, the department has target
of 4 780 subsidy applications to be approved. We therefore
call for the acceleration of this application process for
housing finance.
We are concerned that for the previous financial year, the
department has not been able to achieve more than 60% of its
target on housing subsidised applications. For instance, in
the last eight years, the total target was 37 731, but the


 
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department managed only to approve 16 003. We therefore
recommend that the department must - every quarter - report on
the progress of the approval of these subsidies. We further
encourage the department and its entities to conduct awareness
campaign, targeting all those work places of the people that
are the target market. It should be the responsibility of the
department to promote housing finance scheme for middle and
low income earners.
We are resolute in support of this Budget Vote of the
Department of Human Settlements and its entities. Our support
of this Budget Vote is based on its commitment of ensuring
that our people have access to social housing. In this
financial year, the Social Housing Regulatory Authority, SHRA
has committed to build at least 3 000 social housing units
which will be affordable to the low income earners.
Furthermore, SHRA will ensure that 3 535 329 of social housing
units are occupied by tenants. Our people are not only going
to benefit by accessing affordable social and rental housing
from the state. The department and SHRA have committed that
70% of consolidated capital grants will be awarded to majority
of black-owned enterprises, with 40% of construction spent


 
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going to enterprises that are majority-owned by women and
another 20% of construction for youth and 5% for people with
disabilities.
The other important factor is that these will contribute 6 646
job opportunity on this programme. We are committed to hold
the department accountable for this Budget, and we shall
support the Department of Human Settlements and its entities,
where necessary as the portfolio committee. Our mission is
clear. We want to improve the lives of our people for the
better. Tomorrow shall never be the same as yesterday. I want
to thank you, Deputy Speaker and members. My minutes can be
given to other members.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: No negotiations on the platform.
[Laughter.] Thank you very much, hon member.
Mr J J MC GLUWA: Deputy Speaker.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes.


 
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Mr J J MC GLUWA: Its hon Joe Mc Gluwa, I rise to inform you
that it is hon Khumalo’s maiden speech and I would like to
request that it should be recorded as such.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: You mean that this is her first speech in
Parliament. That’s okay, we will accept it as such, not as a
maiden speech. We don’t want to use that anymore, but thank
you very much for notifying us. Welcome hon Khumalo.
Dr N V KHUMALO: Thank you, Deputy Speaker, hon members,
members of the media and everyone present, I greet you all.
Deputy Speaker, the Human Settlement mandate is a very
important one that ensures that human rights are not trampled
on. The mandate has been guided by various policies that have
received much attention over the years, yet have not received
enough action to fully realise it across the length and
breadth of South Africa.
The Constitution guarantees a fundamental right to progressive
access to housing, and the state is compelled to take measures
to honour this right. In addition, the Housing Act provides
for the facilitation of sustainable housing development


 
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processes, while recognising that housing, as adequate
shelter, fulfils a basic human need.
Central to the realisation of the housing right is the
participation of communities, which is the key to the success
of the implementation of the housing delivery agenda in South
Africa. Sadly, the department is notorious for rampant
corruption at the cost of the dignity that should be given to
millions of South Africans. Corruption in housing waiting
lists is a serious problem that has gone unaddressed for
decades.
The poor management and corruption associated with the housing
list is indeed a hard bone to chew, as many have no idea what
number they are on the list, nor that people are being pushed
up the lists for sums of money which most cannot afford. Yet
the robbery continues.
People are sick of being sick and tired, year in year out. The
people deserve better, and South Africa deserves better! Even
when recipients finally do receive their houses, it is found
that some still wait up to 15 years for a title deed and we
ask where is the people’s dignity? Houses for the homies, the


 
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sale of state houses to fill the cookie jar, and collusion
amongst those entrusted with the responsibility of seeing to
the millions of South Africans who need houses. All that are
just a reflection of none other than the ruling party, the
ANC.
We also continue to see government officials in various
departments occupying houses meant for those who cannot afford
to purchase or build their own, and giving out large contracts
to benefit the corrupt over and over again. Talk, paper and
promises are ultimately all that the citizens get.
Consequently, Deputy Speaker, the failure of the state to
provide quality housing has caused many protests around the
country, because while budgets are submitted and approved, in
the background, deals are set for housing projects that will
make use of the cheapest building material so much so that
many brand-new houses that are handed to our people, are given
to them with defects, such as leaking roofs, missing windows
and doors that don’t close.
Mr A H M PAPO: Deputy Speaker, on a point of order.


 
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The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, what’s the point of order?
Mr A H M PAPO: It’s member Papo, as you said, that this is the
first speech, will the person presenting it agree that being
the first speech and depending on its content people have a
right to heckle her?
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, no, hon Hope! Don’t do that, please.
It’s not a point of order. Let her proceed.
Dr N V KHUMALO: Thank you, Deputy Speaker, this is, pre-
eminently, the time to think and speak honestly, frankly, and
boldly about the conditions our people are subjected to as a
result of the corruption and poor performance of this
department. There is simply no need to shrink from honestly
facing these conditions.
It’s time to ask, where is the pride of the Minister and her
department? When a 68-year-old woman has to wait 10 years to get
a house. When monies are budgeted and paid only to give birth
to unfinished housing projects, as a result of corruption, at
the cost many lives? Where is the dignity? Unsafe, and poor-


 
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quality houses that threaten lives and livelihoods are given
to our people. We ask where is the dignity?
The level of incompetence and lack of urgency displayed by
some individuals who are entrusted with the critical task of
providing shelter to South Africans, but simply occupy
positions as a result of political alignment. Where is the
dignity? And yes, it’s important to have budgets that speak to
the needs of our people, but that itself it’s not enough. It’s
not enough at this stage to be complacent. It’s not enough to
just allocate funds in the form of grants and not have an
effective governance model over them. It is not enough for
this department to simply continue with poor performance.
Over and above the corruption, maladministration, poor
governance controls and the disregard of the department for
the people of South Africa. You look at the 2020-21 Annual
Report, in fact, annual report before that too, one can easily
explain the lived experiences of millions of South Africans
who still wait for a government that cares but the reality is
that numbers don’t lie. The underspending on crucial
programmes in this department is the slap in the faces of
those who had been looking for a better life. Underspending,


 
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on the integral Human settlement planning and development and
the informal settlement programme which is really indeed a
shame. Programmes around affordable houses and rental and
social houses as well. So is not about a Principle of Batho
Pele because even that is a slap in the face of many South
Africans who have waited and waited on this department.
In reality principle those departments who operate under
should be “Rona Pele” not forgetting that despite millions of
qualified and well skilled South Africans without work today
the department and its entity still struggle to fill strategic
and critical vacant positions - a slap in the faces of many
that can easily get the job done. The reality is that the
department doesn’t care and that the corrupt high rollers of
this department continue to roll high while many South
Africans remain with falls hope. It’s again a definite case of
“Rona Pele”.
We need to see housing projects being monitored and evaluated
correctly and efficiently with meaning and not just to tick
boxes. We need to see the communities, where housing projects
are being carried out, being a part of those projects, and do
away with bussing in people from neighbouring towns to do the


 
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work. Our people can be empowered to be a part of these
projects. We need to see this never-ending corruption come to
an end. The only way this can happen is to ensure that there
is accountability and strong consequence management that
leaves no room for corruption. We need to see the Department
of Human Settlements become a tool to alleviate and lower the
spiralling poverty levels in our country.
We need to see transparency; we need to see a consolidated
housing list across all levels of governments and we need to
see that these lists are all correlated. This has been spoken
about indeed. This has been written about, but it doesn’t
exist. There is currently talk that this will be done within
the next 6 months ... and so we will all hold our breath to
see if there is a government that cares about equal
opportunities and fairness. We need to see the different
segments of the department operating as a unit. We need to see
the lives of South Africans start to matter. I thank you,
Chairperson.
Ms N TAFENI: Deputy Speaker, firstly, we would like to send
our deepest condolence to the family, friends and comrades of
Nokuthula Mabaso, a leader of Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement


 
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who was assassinated in eKhanana Informal Settlement in Cator
Crest eThekwini last week. The death of Nokuthula follows that
of Ayanda, another leader of the same movement of people
staying in informal settlement.
The assassination of these leaders of the homeless who are
fighting to affirm the right of all to a home is the serious
indication of just how far the ruling elite are prepared to go
in order to eliminate all the voices of those speakers
speaking on behalf of the poor. In their honour we demand that
the government must stop harassing people living in informal
settlement. The eviction and distraction of people’s home must
stop. This state sponsored hatred on poor people staying in
informal settlement must be stopped forthwith it is not a
crime to be poor. Being poor must not be a death sentence in
this country.
We also take this opportunity to reiterate our support for the
thousands of people who were left homeless by the floods that
took place in KwaZulu-Natal and in the Eastern Cape.
We condemn the slow to nonexistence pace of rebuilding
people’s home in these two provinces a demonstration of this


 
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government complete disregard for the wellbeing of our people
even during times of natural disaster.
The EFF reject Budget Vote 33. We do so because it is a gross
underestimation of the amount of money needed to ensure that
the country stand a reasonable chance of fighting against
homelessness. Even though there is the R1 billion increase in
the budget compared to the 2021-22 budget, this increase is a
drop in the ocean when seen in the contents of challenges face
by the homeless in this country.
In the Western Cape alone there are almost 400 000 people who
are on the housing waiting list. Many of those people have
resorted to build informal houses to themselves even in areas
not suitable for human obligation. They do this because they
are desperate and have nowhere else to go. We are here as the
EFF to speak on behalf of the excluded millions of those who
have been on the housing waiting list for all their lives with
no hope of ever winning the home of their own. We speak on
behalf of over one million farmworkers and farm dwellers who
have been evicted from farms they called homes between 1994
and today. We speak on behalf of the residence of Escort City
in East London whose houses were demolished by the government


 
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of that province on the basis that they were built on land
that belong to the government.
If the government fails to build homes for people why are they
criminalising those who build homes for themselves with the
improving capacity the state to fulfil this basic human rights
to a home, is it not advisable therefore to free available
land and ensure that those who can build houses for themselves
are allowed to do so.
The delivery of homes to the poor is not the only problem
faced in this department. You also made it extremely difficult
for emerging black contractors to enter the state and get
contract from the government to build houses. The construction
space is dominated by the establishment of white-owned
companies start as power construction monopolising almost all
construction projects in the country. It is for this reason
that we call for the establishment of a state construction
company so as to dramatically reduce the cost of building
houses for our people and stop the unfair enrichment of White-
owned companies at our people’s expenses.


 
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We also want legislative reform in the financing of housing in
this country. The vast majority of black people will access to
jobs and able to service their own loans because of the rising
interest rates. It makes no sense that people who buy houses
are made to pay more than double the selling price for period
up to 30 years half of which is for paying interests. As the
EFF, we reject the Budget Vote 33. Thank you, Deputy Speaker.
Ms S A BUTHELEZI: Thank you Deputy Speaker. My connection is
unstable, so with your permission I will not activate the
camera. Shelter is a basic human need, necessary for survival.
Our Constitution, in section 26 of the Bill of Rights, states
that, “Everyone has the right to have access to adequate
housing”, and further that, “The state must take reasonable
legislative and other measures, within its available
resources, to achieve the progressive realisation” of each of
these rights.
This task of providing access to adequate housing for those in
need has proved challenging to the government of the day.
According to the nongovernmental organisation, NGO, the
Development Action Group, the national housing backlog sits at
an estimated 2,6 million houses, that is, 12 million people in


 
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desperate need of decent accommodation. Therefore, the
importance of the work of the Department of Human Settlements
and the prudent use of the budget allocated to its work,
cannot be overstated.
As we gather today, this budget is under additional pressures,
not only due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also
more recently, the devastating floods which left thousands of
people in KwaZulu-Natal without any form of shelter.
The lofty and necessary ideals dictated by the National
Development Plan, that by 2030, measurable progress towards
breaking apartheid spatial patterns would have been made, as
well as the issue of transformation in the housing sector,
face almost insurmountable setbacks as we are forced to look
at diverting funds to provide emergency relief to communities
in need.
As the IFP, we therefore welcome the overall budget
allocation, which increased by R1,34 billion, from
R31,67 billion in 2021-22, to R33,02 billion in 2022-23.
However, the department’s revised five-year Medium-Term
Strategic Framework, MTSF, targets must be noted. A total of


 
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300 000 Breaking New Ground houses delivered,
20 000 households that received financial assistance and
purchased units through the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy
Programme. Additionally, 300 000 serviced sites delivered,
18 000 rental housing units delivered in priority development
areas and 5 000 Community Residential Units delivered.
Considering the sheer scale of the task at hand, we must pose
the following question. Are the MTSF targets ambitious enough?
As the IFP, we therefore echo the concern and recommendation
of the committee with regard to blocked projects. With so many
people in need of housing, it is unacceptable that projects
have been blocked. Also, the committee has asked for budgets
and timeframes. We would further like to suggest detailed
feedback be provided on such projects. Surely there was a
budget already allocated to these projects? If so, there must
be no duplication and no room for mismanagement of these
funds.
Furthermore, the issue of the housing beneficiary lists is of
utmost importance. The slow pace of the digitisation of these
lists is unacceptable and leaves this process open to
manipulation on the part of unscrupulous individuals. As the


 
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IFP, we are further in full agreement with the committee that
the beneficiary lists or allocation policy should prioritise
child-headed households, the elderly and people with
disabilities.
We further wish to make mention of the importance of co-
operation between the three spheres of government — national,
provincial and municipal — which is needed to achieve results
and provide our people with decent housing. This is not the
time to play politics. The people must come first.
Where we govern, we as the IFP are committed to the principle
of servant leadership and good governance free of corruption.
As long as provincial and national government show a visible
commitment to the same and to avoiding irregular, as well as
fruitless and wasteful expenditure, we are willing to work
together to ensure decent housing for all. The IFP supports
the Budget Vote.
Afrikaans:
Mnr P MEY: Dankie Adjunkspeaker. ’n Verslag is ’n geskrewe
dokument. Alles klink goed maar wat gebeur werklik in die
praktyk?


 
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Dit is die probleem in Suid-Afrika. Twee jaar gelede het die
VF Plus die Minister van behuising versoek om ’n opname te
maak oor beskikbare munisipale en staatsgrond om die metros,
wat aangewend kon word vir die ontwikkeling van
behuisingsprojekte. Die grond moes van staatsgrond na
residensiële eiendom ontkoppel word. Drie maande later kondig
die Minister aan dat 14 000 hektaar grond om die metros
beskikbaar is. Dit is ’n groot stuk grond en is ’n baie
positiewe boodskap wat ons gekry het. Dit gee die staat die
geleentheid om vooruit be beplan en te verhoed dat grond
onwettig beset word. Beplanning het nog steeds agterweë gebly
en onwettige besettings het toegeneem. Dikwels beset die
plakkers grond wat nie geskik is vir ontwikkeling en
dienslewering nie, of in sekere gevalle is die koste vir
munisipale dienste geweldig hoog. Die onwettige plakkers
betoog dalk vir munisipale dienste en ekonomiese verliese word
gely deurdat paaie deur brandende bande beskadig word en die
publiek nie hul werksplekke kan besoek nie. So ook word goeie
verhoudings tussen die verskillende groepe benadeel.
Die agterstand in die boubedryf neem jaar na jaar toe. Die
verslag maak dit duidelik dat een van die grootste probleme is
dat mense in Suid-Afrika se skuldlas groter en groter word en


 
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sodoende kan hulle nie verbande by finansiële instellings
aangaan nie.
Dan, ’n ander probleem is die invloei van mense uit Afrika.
Ons almal weet dit is duisende der duisende mense wat jaarliks
Suid-Afrika betree. Nou wil ek net vir u sê, die feit dat
finansiële instellings nie mense kan help nie, gaan die las al
hoe groter en groter op die staat plaas. Maar, wat ook nou
gebeur is dat mense gaan om huise te huur maar ons beleef elke
dag in Suid-Afrika dat huurkoste so hoog word dat mense
uiteindelik maar op die straat beland.
Werkers uit gemeenskappe word dikwels gebruik om by die
projekte te werk en dit is ’n baie groot probleem, want
vakmanskap ontbreek. Ons sien ook dikwels dat alternatiewe
kontrakteurs aangestel word omdat die vorige kontrakteur nie
die projek kon voltooi nie. Projekte word ook in sekere
gevalle gestaak of vertraag, omrede swart ekonomiese
bemagtiging verkies word bo goeie dienslewering. Ek wil net
vir u ’n praktiese voorbeeld noem. In Misgund in die Oos-Kaap
is 300 ... [Onhoorbaar.] ... meer as 300 huise gebou. Hulle is
afgebreek tot en met die fondamente. Hulle moes oorgebou word.
Soveel ander kon voorsien word van huise.


 
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Dan, ons het onlangs gelees dat in Vrede ’n maatskappy ’n
projek van R150 miljoen gekry het. Ons weet ook almal dat die
geskorste sekretaris-generaal, Mnr Ace Magashule se dogter
daarby betrokke is. Daar is die projek nie voltooi nie en die
huise is van ’n baie, baie swak gehalte.
So kan belastingbetalers eenvoudig nie van miljarde rand
beroof word nie. Maar u weet, ek was 35 jaar in die boubedryf.
Om korrupsie in die boubedryf te verhoed is baie eenvoudig. Om
die vordering van die bouprojek te monitor is ’n eenvoudige
taak omrede die kostebepaling op verskeie vlakke van die
bouprojek bepaal word en so kan korrupsie dan verhoed word.
Maar nou vra ’n mens jouself die volgende vraag. Hoe is dit
dan moontlik? Ek is jammer om te sê dat in Suid-Afrika is ons
almal moeg vir die woord korrupsie. Die enigste manier is, as
u korrup is van bo tot onder.
Ek wil nog iets noem wat in die verslag gemeld word, en dit is
titelaktes. ’n Titelakte is ’n waardevolle sertifikaat vir
enige huiseienaar. Dit gee hom die geleentheid om by
finansiële instellings te gaan aansoek doen vir verdere
verbande. So word huise verbeter. Ek ry dikwels deur die
Kwanobuhle gebied in Uitenhage op pad na die N2 en dan


 
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verwonder ek my oor hoe die huise verbeter word. Baie keer hou
ek by die mense stil. Dan vra ek vir hulle hoe is dit moontlik
dat hulle dit kan doen. Dan sê hulle vir my hulle het reggekom
by ’n finansiële instelling.
Ek wil afsluit. Bekostigbare behuising in Suid-Afrika ... Ons
moet nie dat dit agterweë bly nie. Hoekom sê ek dit? Want dit
is so belangrik dat mense nader aan hul werksgeleenthede
gevestig word. Ek kan maar weer ’n voorbeeld noem. Die
woonstelblokke ... Dit is nie 10 verdiepings nie. Dit is twee,
drie verdiepings wat deesdae gebou word ... is so goed geleë
dat mense werklik nie ’n probleem het om by hul werk uit te
kom nie. Ons ... [Onhoorbaar.] Baie dankie.
Rev R K J MESHOE: Deputy Speaker, an NGO called Asivikelane
that helps the voices of South Africa’s informal settlements
to behave estimates that more than five million South Africans
live in informal settlements.
Our housing backlog is estimated to be about 3,7 million and
increases by about 178 000 every year and we are yet to know
where the beneficiaries are on the list. The ACDP that
believes in the principle of transparency would like to see a


 
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consolidated digitalised list that will always be in the
public eye to counter corruption.
The Department of Human Settlements has many performance
challenges. According to the VHS, Viral Hemorrhagic
Septicemia, committee minutes, in November last year, major
concerns related to poor performance with upgrading of
informal settlements and residents of informal settlements
face considerable floods and fire risks. Most have to walk
long distances to taps or rivers to fetch water in buckets and
fire fighters struggle to put out flames when confronted by
unmanned shacks and winding parts without guides to help them
finding the sources of fires can be impossible.
It has been reported that between January and September 2021
in Cape Town alone, there were almost 1 200 shack fires with
about 80 victims dying before the end of June.
Hon members, the appalling loss of life and property in the
recent KZN floods could have also been reduced had the VHS
done more to upgrade informal settlements in that province.


 
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According to Darrin Green, the head of African Infrastructure
Consulting Firm, AECOM, much could have been done to lessen
the recent floods damage. The evidence for this is that areas
that were properly planned and had well maintained indigenous
vegetation suffered a great deal less than those uncontrolled
developments.
Some informal settlements even prevent service delivery
because in places such as Siyahlala in Langa, there are shack
that are built near railway lines thus preventing trains from
operating. Unbelievably, this Siyahlala informal settlement
began on land belonging to Prasa in 2016 and only in January
2021 did Prasa start talking to the residents of that informal
settlement about relocating.
Registration of title deeds is another major concern with
respect to the Department of Human Settlement. Home owners
with title deeds always feel encouraged to even improve the
assets. They can start businesses using their properties as
collateral or even grow intergenerational wealth by leaving
land and houses to their children.


 
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It has been reported that on 10 November 2021 that [Time
expired.]
Sesotho:
MOTLATSI WA SEPIKARA: Ntate moruti, nako ya hao e fedile
ntate.
Moruti K R J MESHOE: Hanyane ntate.
MOTLATSI WA SEPIKARA: Ka maswabi, o ya tseba ba kgethang ba
sokodisa le bona.
Moruti K R J MESHOE: Ba ya sokodisa. [Ditsheho.] Tanki ntate.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: Thank you hon Deputy
Speaker, Minister Kubayi, Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Chairperson of the portfolio committee hon Semenya
distinguished guests, chairpersons and CEOs of our entities,
Chairperson of the War Room, DG, DDGs and senior government
officials, ladies and gentlemen viewers on line, I greet you
all this afternoon.


 
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Chairperson, today marks exactly 28 years to the day that our
first democratic President, Mr Rholihlahla Nelson Mandela was
inaugurated. We are again reminded of how far we have come as
a country, and how much has been achieved to change the lives
of the people for the better. We gave South Africans hope, we
dare not fail them.
THE DEPUTY SPEAKER: Hon Tshwete, please hon Tshwete. Hon
Tshwete, just a moment. There’s someone who wants to speak.
What are you rising on hon member?
Mr B N HERRON: I’m sorry Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Minister
is not audible.
DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can the people with technology please sort it
out so that all members can hear? Are you sure it’s not you
there?
Ms H O MKHALIPHI: No, I also can’t hear Deputy Speaker.
THE DEPUTY SPEAKER: Okay they are attending to it. Try and
Speak Mme Tshwete and raise your voice a little bit.


 
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The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: Hon members, whilst
the Covid-19 pandemic continues to exist in our country and
the world at large, our sector is still feeling the effects
through continuous shortages of material supply. These
shortages have resulted in price hikes as dictated by the
principle of supply and demand.
In August last year, we welcomed the vibrant, energetic and
highly action orientated Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi to the
department. The Minister came with vast experience as she is
coming from five portfolios namely; communications, energy,
science and technology, tourism as Acting Minister of Health.
We are already encouraged by what we have achieved during this
short space of time.
The empowerment of women and youth is one of the department’s
critical areas. The country continues to battle high level of
unemployment and patriarchal systems. The set asides for
women, youth and persons living with disabilities, is a way of
ensuring that these groups are not left behind. I must say
that we have been making some positive strides as the
department in ensuring that the provinces and our entities
take this seriously.


 
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We have done so by ensuring that the 2022/23 APP and Budget
Plans have clear measurable targets. As I said last year,
NHBRC, National Home Builders Registration Council through its
partnership with the Gordon Institute of Business Science,
GIBS, enrolled and trained 120 women entrepreneurs, 107
completed the business development planning assessment in
March 2022 and are currently undergoing a mentorship programme
through GIBS.
These Women have also had networking sessions with our
provincial departments, the National Housing Finance
Corporation, NHFC, and the Housing Development Agency, HDA,
where presentations were done on construction related project
opportunities and how to access funding.
Our country has a high number of destitute communities due to
social ills. The department is inundated with requests to
intervene in a number of destitute cases. We have urged the
provinces to work closely with municipalities and come up with
consolidated lists per province.
This will assist in ensuring that we have a holistic approach
in prioritizing the cases. We have started the process of


 
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roadshows in the provinces working with MECs and all provinces
are [Inaudible.] together with executive mayors. The main
focus of the roadshows is to unlock challenges that hinder
acceleration of housing service delivery for the destitute.
Going forward we will be accelerating this programme to all
provinces. I am proud to announce that using this approach, a
number of houses have been delivered across the country. Ours
as the department is to ensure that no destitute is without a
decent home. We have an obligation to protect the most
vulnerable of our society and make sure they have a decent
place they call home.
Yesterday, whilst we were engaging with the community of
Khayelitsha, the Minister and I got an impression that
everyone is expecting to receive a free house from government.
IsiXhosa:
... ayihambi kanjalo.
English:
We want to make it clear that the provision on BNG, Breaking
New Ground, houses is for the indigent and elderly, child


 
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headed homes, military veterans and people living with
disabilities.
The housing of military veterans remains one of our key focus
areas. We are committed to endeavour until we have provided
security of tenure to all bona fide military veterans. The
illegal occupations delay service delivery to legitimate
beneficiaries.
IsiXhosa:
... ukuthathwa komhlaba ngendlela engalunganga kulibazisa
umsebenzi wesebe eluntwini, kuba xa kufuneka sibasusile
kwindawo engalunganga abahleli kuyo, kufuneka kuyiwe
ezinkundleni. Siyacela ke, kuba siyalibaziseka kumsebenzi
wokunikezela ngezindlu ngenxa yabantu abahleli kumhlaba
ongalunganga.
English:
Going forward, I would like to encourage collaborations with
the Department of Social Development, so that at the time of
hand over, we don’t just give them a house but we take care of
their basic needs.


 
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IsiXhosa:
... singafiki phaya sinike umntu indlu, simnike isitshixo, xa
efika endlwini akananto yokutya ...
English:
It doesn’t help us. We need to work together with social
development. Whenever we hand over the house, there should be
food in the house. Our country has been experiencing floods
and fire disasters. Some of these can be attributed to climate
change. As a country we need to embark on awareness campaigns
with the hope of limiting impact of displacement of loss of
lives.
IsiXhosa:
Abanye abantu bakha izindlu phezu kwemilambo nakwiindawo
ezinamanzi ekubeni bexelelwe ukuba bangakhi kwezo ndawo.
Siyabacela abantu ukuba bamamele xa bexelelwa.
English:
The department has funding available to address disasters. We
urge...
IsiXhosa:


 
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... ngakumbi oomasipala ukuba bakhawulezise ukuqokelela abantu
abamkelwe zizindlu ukuze sikwazi ukubanika imali yokuba
bakhele abantu izindlu. Urhulumente akakwazi ukusuka abakhele
abantu izindlu engakhange anikwe ...
English:
... number of people affected, number of houses affected.
Those applications must come to national so that we are able
to give them money. When there are delays from provinces, it
actually delays the entire process. I then want to say
[Inaudible.] in partnership with the Gordon’s Institute of
Business Science and ...
IsiXhosa:
... nditshilo kulo nyaka uphelileyo ukuba siwancedile
amakhosikazi kwaye sayenza le nto yokuba amakhosikazi - sifuna
amakhosikazi aphathe bethuna akhe izindlu. Mabangnikwa nje
bankinkishelwe.
English:
The President said, 40% must be given to women. Why is it not
happening from provinces? Yesterday ...


 
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IsiXhosa:
... kwakhona ngoku besiphaya eKhayelitsha noMphathiswa,
bekukho abantwana abancinci abathe beza kuthi besithi, bacela
ukwakhelwa izindlu. Ndibaxelele Sekela Somlomo ndathi,
kwezemfundo kunikezelwa ngeNsfas kusenzelwa ukuba abantu baye
esikolweni. Asikwazi ukwakhela abantwana abaneminya eli-14
izindlu kuba beqhankqalazela izindlu. Mna ndiphume ekhaya
ukutshata kwam. Bona bantu bathi beneminyaka eli-18 bafune
ukwakhelwa izindlu, hayi ayikwazi ukwenzeka loo nto. Ndiyacela
ukuba abantu baye esikolweni, bafunde ukuze bakwazi ukwakha
izindlu zamabhongo abo befundile.
Xa ndigqibezela Sihlalo ungekandihlalisi phantsi ...
English:
I would like to encourage collaboration with the Department of
Social Development.
IsiXhosa:
Nditshilo ke ndathi ndiyithethile le nto youkuba iSebe
lezoPhuhliso loLuntu masiyibone apha kwezi ndawo, sibonakale
sisebenza sonke bethuna. Enye into emandiyigxininise,


 
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kukwakhiwa kwezindlu ngendlela engeyiyo ngabantu abanikwa
imali ukuba mabakhe izindlu.
English:
We have enough quantum for people to build decent houses.
There is no need for contractors to build cheap houses
because...
IsiXhosa:
... izakubuyela kuthi bantu baphetheyo le nto singurhulumente
we-ANC kanti ayisithi. Thina sinika abantu imali ukuze bakhe
izindlu izindlu, bona benze izinto zemiqala yabo.
English:
So, in the year under review, we have established a platform
which includes the national and provincial departments and the
NHBRC to address issues related to enrolments. We are now
quick in enrolling and ensuring that we enrol houses.
IsiXhosa:
Asifuni ...
English:


 
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... delays. We only takes 16 days to do that. With regards to
the participation of South Africa at the United Nations, I
must tell you Minister that you requested me to represent
South Africa in United Nations General Assembly, I could not
believe myself when I was standing at the podium of the United
Nations. Minister Kubayi sent me there and I’m retiring this
year and I have a history that other Ministers never
experienced. [Laughter.] Thank you Minister. [Time expired.]
IsiXhosa:
UMPHATHISWA WEZENTLALO YOLUNTU: Ndiyabulela Sekela Somlomo,
ndiye ndawamela amakhosikazi kwiZizwe eziManyeneyo.
Mr B N HERRON: Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Deputy Speaker, we
support the Budget Vote but we call on the Minister of Human
Settlements to reimagine the country’s housing programme. We
note the commitment in the Annual Performance Plan executive
summery to a new Human Settlements Code but not to the absence
of any indicators to hold the commitment to account.
We can celebrate the fact that South Africa has rolled out one
of the largest public housing programmes in the world. But we


 
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must learn from our experience. And that is that a free house
is not necessarily an affordable house.
We have dismally failed to break down the Group Areas Act and
to refers it to special justice. Instead, we have built suburb
of poverty on the outskirts of our towns and cities
entrenching the apartheid model instead of recasting it. We
have created what is called the 40 by 40 by 40 crises. Forty
square metre houses build 40 kilometres away from job and
services and costing people 40% of their income in transport
cost. At the same time, we have dismally under calculated the
impact of organisation, immigration, the loss of jobs and the
lack of security tenure. The outskirts of our cities and towns
now virtually comprise only of new townships for the fortunate
and spiralling shack lands. With nearly three decades of
experience, we have to admit that in its current forms our
housing code does not meet our section 26 of our
constitutional obligations to provide access to adequate
housing. It is not sustainable. We do not have a sustainable
housing programme. We are not creating sustainable
communities. And we are not creating sustainable towns and
cities.


 
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Deputy Speaker, where people live matters, it will plough
ahead our heads on this road. We are going to lock in on
socioeconomic catastrophe for which it will take decades to
recover. The current housing code is a blunt instrument that
assumed we have economic equality across the country and v
uniform property market.
We have to address affordability within local context. Cities
and towns had different economies, different income levels and
different property markets. Using a blunt qualifying
instrument and a stand income threshold relegate low earners
and cities with bigger economies higher levels of income and
unaffordable property market to a life of exclusion from the
section 26 rights. The house of income might be higher than
the family in a rural or smaller town but relative to the
local context they may actually be poorer in real terms. It is
time we looked at the true extend of inadequate or
unaffordable housing, which is much larger than our current
model assumes.
The new housing code must address the true meaning of
affordability in the local context, including the future of
the informal settlement. We must provide real security of


 
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tenure with the right to build and to introduce a meaningful
informal settlement appraise programme. And given our priority
housing market, we must expand the role of the private sector
by codifying inclusion housing in return for additional
development right. This we can achieve through amendment to
Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act, Spluma.
Access to housing is in crisis and the same mode of approaches
just aren’t going to fix it. We need courage to discard that
which is in working and reimagine a new landscape of equity
and justice. Thank you.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. Let me give to hon Emam Shaik
in the meantime. Hon Lesoma, please take over after hon Emam
has finished or advise him to finish when his time expired. I
now handover to him. You can charm him into scalping over out
of the city. Thank you very much.
Mr A M SHAIK EMAM: Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker. The
NFP will support Budget Vote 33 on Human Settlements tabled
here today. Deputy Speaker, I want to refer to a Mr Rajesh
Singh from Durban who applied for a council flat with the


 
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Department of Human Settlements in the eThekwini Municipality
in 1989. Thirty-three years later this man is still waiting.
Now I think what we need to understand, Deputy Speaker, the
country’s population is increasing at about a million per
year. Secondly and very importantly even if you build houses
in rural areas as a result of lack of development and job
opportunities in rural areas people migrate to urban areas
creating an additional demand for housing. In other words,
some family members would get a house in the rural area but
they are going to move to the urban areas because they don’t
have job opportunity. In other words, instead of one house you
might have to provide two houses.
The next thing is the question we must always ask: Are we
meeting the demand? We are not and we cannot. So, what is the
next thing to do instead of building these RDP houses and we
have raised this again and again people. Should we not be
concentrating on providing fully serviced sites with water,
sanitation and electricity and then providing householders
with a low interest rates. In other words, we said we will
provide the Human Settlement Development Bank or private
investment so that more and more poor people can build their


 
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own homes. And I am quite certain many people in retrenchment
will be willing to pay R300 a month to have a decent home
rather than a house, which is what we have been building for a
long period of time.
Now added to this, Deputy Speaker, is another problem. We
build a lot of RDP houses. And yes indeed many houses have
been built over the last 28 years. There is no ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Shaik Emam? It
seems he has a connectivity challenge. Hon Shaik Emam? May the
IT assist if it is possible. IT? Thank you, hon Shaik Emam.
Hon members, we shall move now and recognise, hon Tseki?
Mr M A TSEKI: Thank you very much, hon Chairperson. Let me
start by greetings to all members, the Minister and the
department. In my greetings I also appreciate what hon member
Herron, have said which I think in the committee those are
some of the issues and challenges that with his wisdom we can
engage on them. Unlike hon member Mey, who we find ourselves
in this challenges because of the system that he belonged to
and supported for many years, which is the apartheid system.


 
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Hon Chairperson, as the African National Congress we support
the Budget Vote for 2022-23 financial year as presented. We
are convinced that this budget if implemented in totality we
will go a long way in achieving the aspiration espoused in the
Freedom Charter of ensuring that the provision of housing
security and comfort for all people. The National Development
Plan 2030, directs our ANC government to radically transform
the spacial apartheid planning to ensure that working people
of our country live in close proximity to their places of
work, have access to recreational and other essential services
and have other essential social amenities at their doorstep.
That’s what we define human settlement not housing.
The revised Medium-Term Strategic Framework 2019-2024 has
identified three interrelated outcomes for this term of
office. The revised Medium-Term Strategic Framework has
committed the department to the spacial transformation through
multiprogramme integration in priority development areas;
adequate housing and improve quality living environments and
security of tenure. Hon Chairperson, to achieve the above
objectives the department will rely heavily on the work done
by the state-owned entities. The bulk of department’s budget
is transferred to these entities. Therefore, the state-owned


 
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entities have an important role in provision of housing
delivery. That is why we must ensure that we rebuild and
strengthen the housing entities to deliver on the departmental
mandate.
The housing entities will be like Housing Development Agency,
HDA; accelerate the transformation of the property market
industry for inclusive cities and integrated cities. Hon
Chairperson, we must ensure that as we embark on the economic
recovery and reconstruction of our society, we must also
transform the current property market relations which is still
dominated by few white males at the exclusion of the African
majority. To address the skew nature of the property market,
the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority will thus
financially embark on the establishment of a Property Sector
Transformation Fund and ensure that if that 300 full status
black woman supported through the implementation of
principalisation program and that 25 small, medium and micro
enterprises, SMMEs, owned by historically disadvantaged groups
are placed through the incubation program. Not white males.
Hon Chairperson, the delegates of the 1955 Congress of the
People, where the Freedom Charter was adopted, made a pledge


 
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that in a democratic South Africa unused housing spaces, land
will be made available to government and to the people to
build their own houses. The democratic government is committed
in ensuring that the current property market is radically
transformed in order to build inclusive, democratic and
integrated spaces in our cities. This Budget Vote to the
Department of Human Settlement and Housing Development Agency
will ensure that the well-located land will be released and be
developed of the new integrated to human settlement targeting
the middle and low-income earners.
The Social Housing Regulatory Authority will build 3000 social
housing units in well-located land during this financial year
and strengthen the legislation to ensure compliance by the
private sector in government to lead to the transformation
agenda. Hon Chair, as the Portfolio Committee on Human
Settlement is conducting public hearings on the Housing
Consumer Protection Bill, among the objectives of the Bill is
to provide the protection of housing consumers; the enrolment
of homes in order to be covered by the Home Warranty Insurance
Fund; to provide for the regulation of the conduct of
homebuilders; to provide for the continuance of Home Warranty
Insurance Fund and to provide for claims against the fund. For


 
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too long our people have been robbed of their hard-earned
monies by scrupulous builders who masquerades as professional
builders.
Furthermore, the National Home Builders Registration Council
will ensure by the end of the financial year, at least 2 920
homebuilders would have registered that at least 13 910
registrations are renewed. The National Home Builders
Registration Council, NHBRC, has also set a target of 100%
homes inspected for both none subsidy and subsidy homes.
Further, the National Home Builders Registration Council,
NHBRC, will ensure that 100% of prosecutable matters are
considered within 10 working days when they are reported; that
100% unprosecutable matters are set down for a hearing before
the disciplinary committee within 30 days.
The state-owned entities must drive the job creation in the
housing sector for economic recovery and reconstruction. In
his state of the nation address in February, President
Ramaphosa reiterated the government commitment to economic
recovery and reconstruction. We welcome the commitment made by
various entities regarding job creation. The Social Housing
Regulator Authority has committed to create 6 646 jobs


 
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opportunities through its implementation of housing projects.
It further committed to ensure that 40% of its spend on
procurement will be targeted to women; 20% will go to the
youth sector and 5% goes to the people living with disability.
That’s a delivering department, that’s a delivering government
led by the African National Congress.
Hon Chairperson, the Housing Development Agency during the
course of this financial year will implement various projects
such as delivering 3 428 of the housing units; provide 4 517
service sites; manage 73 human settlement projects and the
replacement of thousand asbestos roof which will create jobs
opportunities to the South Africans, in particular, the people
that were disadvantaged by the apartheid regime. Research
indicates that persistence of our unemployment rate among
these, is the fact that they pose the requisite skill as an
experience. The department is on a massive training for all,
in particular, the young people to can be exposed to training
and skills so that they can be employable.
Xitsonga:
Hi khensile swinene, Mutshamaxitulu.


 
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Mr S M JAFTA: House Chairperson, this budget vote coincides
with the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal. The floods which call
to bear spatial integration housing infrastructure ...
[Inaudible.] ... and access to social housing within the human
settlement value chain.
Indeed, hon House Chair, human settlements cannot be unlocked
through “accessing releasing optimally suitable land”. As
former Minister of the Department of Human Settlements,
Nomaindia Mfeketo once said:
We need to tap into human settlement value chain; human
settlement priorities must be transformative, dealing
with housing backlog and provide title deeds to our
people.
In terms of Constitution and the National Development Plan,
the department has an obligation to give effect to the duty of
the state to provide access to housing. This constitutional
right must not be underpinned by a fiscal framework that
promotes sustainable human settlement.


 
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Hon House Chair, this department has to foster
intergovernmental coordination between human settlement
government departments and provincial departments within
regulated discipline of shared legislative and executive
competence.
The human settlement development grant allocated to these
provincial departments must reach every single individual in
the human settlement value chains.
We therefore hope that this budget will transform existing
spatial inequality in the country and foster spatial human
settlement order. I thank you, House Chair.
Ms E L POWELL: House Chairperson, every year at this time,
Members of this House are subjected to long lists of promises
from incompetent and compromised Ministers on what they intend
to do.
Yet so little action is paid to what they have done, because
in reality, year after year, the ANC’s achievements in
government amount to so very little.


 
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The Department of Human Settlements, one of the country’s most
crucial, front line service delivery departments, is no
different. House Chairperson, we engage in these lofty, high
level debates in Parliament that so few South Africans even
bother paying attention to anymore, while the reality on the
ground sees South Africa sinking into an ever deepening abyss
of poverty, malnutrition and despair.
Unless of course, you’re an ANC tendreprenuer with a housing
contract and penchant for fast cars and Johnny Black – then,
you’re in the fast lane.
But for the 13 million South Africans still living in
informality, the suffering continues. For everyone other than
the ANC, the conditions in which our nation’s poorest citizens
live are simply impossible to ignore.
Despite a triple junk rated economy, a failed government
staffed by incompetent cadres and, the systemic looting that
now defines our state, the ANC continue to deny any
involvement in the cause and effect of the dire conditions
that affect our people.


 
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Let’s use a recent example: Whilst the President stands before
Parliament and promises the Nation that rigorous systems will
be put in place to guard against more looting of disaster
relief funds – this time in KwaZulu-Natal, KZN - the so called
radical economic transformation, RET, “business forums” in
eThekwini are already rubbing their hands in glee at the
prospect of another billion rand headed their way. A billion
rand that will be divvied up between incompetent cadre
contractors and spent on little other than Lamborghinis.
Hon members, this situation will abound for as long as the ANC
remains in power. And despite the list of more promises for
the upcoming year, recited before this House today, the
delivery targets promised during Human Settlements Budget
speeches in previous years have yet to be fulfilled.
In the 2020-21 financial year, against a target of 23 000
title deeds, only 17 200 were delivered, 40 300 fully
subsidised houses were delivered against a target of 85 800;
1800 rental housing opportunities were delivered against a
target of 6000; 997 social housing opportunities against a
target of 3800; and only 3060 the Financial Linked Individual


 
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Subsidy Programme, FLISP, opportunities against the target of
6600.
Hon Members, what these figures really mean, is that despite
the pomp and ceremony of our ruling elite, less than half of
the housing department targets were achieved on measure
metrics.
Only R61 million, of the R300 million transferred for rental
housing relief was spent, not because desperate South Africans
did not need assistance during the COVID-19 lockdown, but
because the department took an entire year to finalise the
disbursement policy. That’s right, it took a department of
thousands of staff a full year to write an emergency relief
policy – so the funds weren’t spent.
The national department has also instructed provinces to
provide evidence of measures taken to downscale the delivery
of units, encouraging provinces to move towards a site and
service approach. Here in the Western Cape, this rapid land
release approach is coupled with pre-approved building plans,
bulk infrastructure, pattern books and wet slabs.


 
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But in places like the Free State, unserviced land without any
infrastructure in place is simply handed over to
beneficiaries. Why - because the ANC cadres don’t care.
The Housing Development Agency, HDA – the subject of gross
corruption and mismanagement, which has incurred in excess of
R150 million in irregular expenditure in recent years. Only
registered 825 title deeds against a target of more than 7000.
Despite the millions lost to fruitless and wasteful
expenditure, the on-going investigations, and the big shot
talk of our director general, DG and deputy director generals
DDGs about consequence management when hauled before
Parliament – only one single official was disciplined and
dismissed across the entire department, whilst a second
individual spent over 700 days on suspension at a cost to the
tax payer of more than R3,4 million.
And despite the 40 units resembling tin shacks handed over in
Talana last year, the national portfolio committee is yet to
receive the investigative reports and make recommendations.
Hon members, no one must come before Parliament and talk about


 
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consequence management until we start to see ... [Inaudible.]
... in orange jump suits!
Thankfully, House Chairperson, a silver lining has appeared in
the form of a new Minister that has so far been true to her
word in her genuine attempts to rid the department of her
predecessor’s corrupt patronage network, and right-size many
of our most crucial entities. Time will tell if her fist is
firm enough to stand up to the nefarious and dangerous
characters that sit behind, not opposite her, on the
parliamentary benches. She confronts a lion’s den of greed-
obsessed cronies on the inside and empty stomachs on the
outside. The knives will soon be out. I thank you
Mr T MALATJI: Hon Chairperson, it is interesting to see the DA
and its youth organisation the EFF, fighting that we must
build more houses which we agree on as the ANC. When not long
ago, they are the same people who voted against the
distribution where the state must be able to carry the same
responsibility.
Ms H O MKHALIPI: On a point of order. Hon Chairperson, I am
calling on a point of order!


 
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M R R Lesoma): Hon Hlophe! May I
check if your hand was up? For on the system I do not see if
it was up. Nevertheless, what is the point of order?
Ms H O MKHALIPI: Hon Chairperson, I do not think it is
parliamentary to call the EFF as the youth league leader of
the DA. I think Malatji must withdraw that statement.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M R R Lesoma): Hon member, no. That
is not the point of order. The hon member mentioned the
organisation, not the individual. The hon Malatji, you may
proceed.
Ms H O MKHALIPI: Hon Chairperson, we are ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Mkhalipi, no!
Ms H O MKHALIPI: Hon Chair, no, you cannot be saying that.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Mkhalipi!
Ms H O MKHALIPI: Where in Parliament ...


 
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Mkhalipi!
Ms H O MKHALIPI: ... we are the youth league leader of the DA?
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Mkhalipi!
Ms H O MKHALIPI: He must withdraw!
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Mkhalipi, I am
protecting you by making you understand the rules! The hon
member mentioned the political party and not the individual.
Hon Malatji, you may proceed.
Ms H O MKHALIPI: No, I am of the political party that the hon
member is mentioning.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Mkhalipi, you
know what you are doing is not right.
Ms H O MKHALIPI: Chairperson, there is no such rule!
Mr M A TSEKI: It is very easy to discipline such people. You
just remove them from the platform, Chairperson.


 
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): No, no, do not assist
me. Hon Mkhalipi, I repeat. The hon member mentioned the
political party and not an individual. In terms of the rules
there is nothing wrong with that. If you insist, I will ask
the information technology, IT, support people to eject you
from the platform. Hon Malatji, please proceed.
Mr T MALATJI: Hon Chairperson, thank you very much.
Mr A H M PAPO: Hon House Chair, on a point of order, on hon
member, Mkhalipi.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Hope, you may,
but I have already made a ruling.
Mr A H M PAPO: Hon Chair, not on that issue.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Alright. Let us
listen.
Mr A H M PAPO: She is insisting that the hon member Malatji
has violated the rules, but just called hon Malatji by his
first name and is the violation of the National Assembly


 
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rules. That is the issue I am calling hon member Mkhalipi an
order on. She said Malatji must withdraw and that is not
allowed in the rules.
IsiZulu:
Nkz H O MKHALIPI: Hayi wena, awukahle wena. Suka! Uyabhora
wena. [Unesicefe.]
English:
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Mkhalipi, I was
going to put it differently, can you then withdraw that,
because now ...
Ms H O MKHALIPI: I am not withdrawing anything. You can kick
me off. I do not care!
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Alright. Bye, bye.
Information technology, kindly remove her.
Ms H O MKHALIPI: Bye.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): The hon Malatji, you
may proceed.


 
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Ms H O MKHALIPI: [Hayi suka!] I do not care!
Mr T MALATJI: Hon Chairperson, thank you very much. The
project of the ANC is very clear, of making sure that our
people are settled. It has been delayed in many areas mainly
on the issue of land. In many areas where the DA and EFF-led
municipalities sell the land that is supposed to be for human
settlement. They sell to private companies to continue to
maximise profit.
As the ANC we are uncompromising and resolute, in our support
for the Budget Vote for the Department of Human Settlement and
its entities. We are convinced that the Budget Vote as
presented by the Minister will go a long way in addressing the
house backlogs in our country.
Hon Chairperson, it is a known fact that the ANC-led
government has built more than three million houses for people
who were displaced. The housing delivery programme is one of
the massive projects undertaken by our government. It is
comparable and it is none. However, the recent floods in
KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape has demonstrated that much


 
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still needs to be done in the provision of equivalent houses
for our people.
The national government has identified the upgrading of human
settlement as a key component of its human settlement
development approach.
As per the revised Medium-Term Strategic Framework, the
department has sat a target of 1 500 informal settlement
upgrade to the phase three of Upgrading of Informal Settlement
Programme.
For this financial year, the department through the Housing
Development Agency, has planned to upgrade 200 informal
settlements into phase three and ensure that no new informal
settlement is built in river banks.
Hon Chairperson, the government and in particular the local
sphere of government, must put measures and mechanism in place
to ensure that no new informal settlements shall be built on
the river banks.


 
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Local municipalities must work very closely with the Housing
Development Agencies in identifying the suitable land for
human settlement development.
Section 7 of the Housing Development Act of 2008, empowers the
Housing Development Agency to identify acquire, hold, develop
and release state and private and communal home for
residential and community development. And to further assist
organs of the state with upgrading of human settlements.
For the current financial year, the Housing Development
Agency, will release 750 hectors of well allocated land for
human settlement development and further the Housing
Development Agency, HAD, will acquire 1 500 hectors of well
allocated land within the priority land for township
establishment. Those opportunities are open to our
municipalities and the spatial planning development and
proximity to economic hubs.
Hon Chairperson, our government as directed by the National
Development Plan, NDP, 2030, that any new human settlement
development must be taken in cognisant of a deracialization of
the current apartheid spatial planning and must ensure that


 
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those settlements are within the close proximity of the
economic hubs.
For this financial year the department and the HDA have
identified at least six provinces, to provide with programmes
to support the planning and implementation support for
revitalisation of distressed mining communities. This is a new
indicator for the state entities that will ensure that those
communities living closer to the mining companies are provided
with affordable houses, through the District Development
Model, DDM, ensure that 100 expenditures of Upgrading of
Informal Settlement Programme, UISP, grant by provinces and
municipalities.
Hon Chairperson, recently Minister Dlamini-Zuma in her address
to the state-capacity conference, has clarified that the
misconception about the District Development Model. There are
people who think that the DDM is an unfunded project. She
explained that the DDM is not a project, but rather a
government approach which the three spheres of government and
the state entities work in unison to achieve service delivery.


 
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Many of our local municipalities have been struggling in
spending the allocated grant funding which result in the
Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs
revoking section 18 of the Division of Revenue Act. Section 18
of the ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERTSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Thank you very much,
hon member. Your time is up. I did give you two minutes of
injury time. Thank you so much.
Hon members, I now recognise the Minister of Human
Settlements. Hon Minister. [Time expired.]
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: Thank you very much,
Chairperson of the session - hon Lesoma. Firstly ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Minister, just
sort out your volume.
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: ... and indeed hon members
who raised the issue around the need to review how we provide
human settlements in a sustainable manner that is transparent
and ensures accountability. We have committed to the


 
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digitisation of the beneficiary list and we will ensure that
it is implemented. Let me agree with the hon Semenya on the
importance of the establishment of the human settlements
development bank and also the need for efficiency in terms of
the application process for the Help-Me-Buy-A-Home subsidy to
improve its performance through the ICT platform as committed
in the annual performance plan, APP.
Hon Khumalo, it is a dangerous thing to do, if you are to
generalise and use a blanket approach. I think to indicate
that the entire sector is corrupt is disingenuous and it is
the same as saying that all the liberal party members are
racist because you would have categorised yourself within
that. I have seen men and women in this portfolio committee
who sacrificed even their holidays, working to ensure that we
provide services to the communities. So, to generalise again
and say that all people who are within this portfolio
committee are lazy; they are not committed and they work only
for themselves - I think it is not correct. It would help if
you read APPs and annual performance reports, and also look at
some of the presentations we made in the portfolio committee


 
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because you are a new member. Equally, let me remind you that
...
Dr N V KHUMALO: May I rise on a point of order, Chairperson?
[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon Minister! Hon
Minister! [Interjections.] Yes, one second. There is a point
of order. Hon member with a point of order, let’s hear the
point of order.
Dr N V KHUMALO: Thank you. The hon Minister is misleading the
House, hon Chairperson, because my speech even has ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Hon member, just stop
there. No, just stop right there. No, no, no, that’s a point
of debate. I thought you are going to make reference to the
Rules that she has used unparliamentary language, but you are
now referring to your speech. That is a point of debate.
That’s not a point of order. Hon Minister, you may proceed.
Dr N V KHUMALO: She’s misleading, Chairperson.


 
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): No, no, no, I will
eject you out of the House. I’ll just make a ruling.
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: Hon Khumalo, there is what
we call a Rule book in Parliament, I know that you are new. We
do spend some time reading it so that we can know what we are
doing in Parliament. Let me come to the hon member who
represent ... I think it is Stephanie.
IsiXhosa:
Lungu elihloniphekileyo mandiqale apha, xa uza kuthetha uthi
...
English:
... linking the ANC to the killing of Abahlali baseMjondolo
leaders, it really dangerous.
IsiXhosa:
Xa unokujonga, ilungu elihloniphekileyo uSibiya ...
English:
... has been having meetings. As we speak today, there is
another meeting with Abahlali baseMjondolo, trying to find


 
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solutions within KwaZulu-Natal, supporting them. So, I can
confidently say that from the governing party, the ANC, and
from us leading this portfolio committee, we have committed to
work with everybody so, I think ...
IsiZulu:
Hoxhisa mntwana wasekhaya ungaphinde uyenze le nto oyenzile.
Akufanele uhlanganise abantu nabantu ababulalayo.
Asigqugquzele amaphoyisa ukuthi athole labantu ababulala
abahlali basemijondolo ngenkathi sifuna izixazululo
ezizosincedisa ukuthi sisebenzisane nabo sibahlinzekele
ngezinkonzo ezifanele.
English:
Let me also thank hon members Buthelezi, Meshoe, Herron and
Jafta. I think these members have provided some of the
suggestions that we are definitely looking at. There has been
issues that are flagging and I think they are quite important
for us to consider. Yes, regarding the concern around the
Medium Term Strategic Framework, MTSF, targets, because of the
revision of budgets we had to revise our targets, that is why


 
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the hon member is saying that the targets are not ambitious
enough. I am not surprised by the FF Plus when they target
black economic empowerment, BEE, because to them, justice
means that they must continue to benefit above the majority of
South Africans. I think every time we will continue to teach
them that transformation is a necessity for the sustainability
of this country. But also for the democracy to be sustainable,
we have to ensure equal opportunities and also inclusive
participation in the wealth of this country as the Freedom
Charter has stated. There is quite a misunderstanding spread
...
An HON MEMBER: But no to corruption!
The MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: ... across the country to
constituencies. I have met over the weekend and during the
course of the week, people who do not understand the BEE
because they have been misled. For example, a white woman who
didn’t know that actually, in terms of BEE, as white people
they are above a black man. You have continued to spread this
misinformation that does not assist this country. I think at
some point we need to have a proper conversation with the FF
Plus and ask them when are they going to start being patriotic


 
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South Africans. Regarding the issue around the Passenger Rail
Agency of South Africa, Prasa, hon Meshoe, we are working with
Minister Mbalula. We have identified the first land, and DA is
working on it - the first parcel of land. We should be able to
start relocating the communities once the board has finalised
the process and with that we do agree. We do agree with that,
including the issues around title deeds.
Hon Herron, indeed, on the issue of the security of tenure. I
think the other issue that I want to speak about is linked to
the hon Powell. I will come to your issue, hon Jafta. The
issue of access to land is closer to economic opportunities.
It is very critical because we have to address the apartheid
landscape, apartheid spatial landscape. So, we can’t continue
putting people at areas where they build very far away from
opportunities, recreational facilities for majority of South
Africans. So, that is important.
Hon Powell, I think when you did your oversight visit to
eThekwini, you will come back with better information. You
seem to have interacted with wrong people who misled you. Let
me start here, there is no money allocated to eThekwini.
Currently the programmes that we are implementing has been


 
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with provinces, in terms of reprioritisation of
reprioritisation of funds. We have been engaging with the City
of eThekwini. We wanted them to reprioritise within their
budget which they told us that they do not have the necessary
resources. I don’t know which R1 billion you have seen or
heard or smelled at eThekwini, but we have not provided any
R1 billion to eThekwini Municipality, unless you decided to
see it ... I heard you saying that there is Radical Economic
Transformation, RET. Maybe you must share the notes who this
RET people are that you had coffee with – that shared the news
about the money we didn’t provide as the Department of Human
Settlements.
Again, you misrepresent the issues of land. You see, it has to
take us to stop the City of Cape Town from selling three
properties within the City of Cape Town. We said that these
properties are suitable for human settlement and therefore had
to request the mayor who had intentions to sell this land that
this can’t be done when the majority of people within the City
of Cape Town do not have land.
The issue of divide and rule doesn’t work with me, hon member.
You are not going to ... [Inaudible.] ... me against my own


 
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comrades and my own colleagues. I stand here as the Minister
of Human Settlements with a backing and full support of my
caucus, and with a backing and full support of my party.
During the apartheid era they will always say that you are an
exclusive black. I am not an exclusive black. I don’t take
kindly to it, and I don’t take pride in it.
I am a South African Minister of the ANC who works within a
collective that is supported ... [Inaudible.] ... with an
entire collective. So, what I do is what my party has sent me
to do. What I implement is what my party has taken a decision
on, including what we are working with as a collective in
caucus. So, I do not have deckers behind me. I do not look
back when I walk because I am not fearful that I do not have
the support and the backing of my caucus, including the
leadership of the ANC in its entirety. When you see me
standing against corruption and when you see me standing
firmly, it’s because I am the child of the ANC and this is
what I have been taught. What you see as just a few people who
get out, accept that we have that occurrences in all of us,
and in all parties. We have seen ...
Sepedi:


 
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... monyadiwa wa rena kua Gauteng.
English:
We have seen what she is doing. She is messing up. Can we say
that all of you are messing up, no! But we acknowledge that
...
Xitsonga:
... makoti wa hina ...
Sepedi:
... o kua Gauteng. Ga a tsebe le gore o ya kae. Ke ka lebaka
leo re mmit?ang makoti. O fihlile o bolela maaka fela.
English:
You know, that’s what we do. We don’t isolate an individual
and say that you should be ... and clapping hands and saying
that we are better than others - I am not. I have been trained
by the ANC and I am the product of this movement. What I do is
what I have been told and taught by the ANC. And this is why
we will continue doing so. The ANC lives and the ANC leads. I
am thankful for who I am because that is where I come from in
spirit and in all I do. Thank you very much. [Time expired.]


 
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The mini-plenary rose at 15:59.

 


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