Questions and Replies

Reply:

The matter that the Honourable Member refers to was never brought to my attention. Further, the Western Cape Provincial Department of Human Settlements indicated that neither the Department nor the Theewaterskloof Local Municipality is aware of Breaking New Ground (BNG) houses being sold to farm owners or other persons.

I would be grateful if the Honourable Member could provide me with more information on this matter in order for my department to investigate it further.

Reply:

The Department has finalised the drafting of the Human Settlements Development Bank Bill including the business case on the establishment of the Bank. The Department is currently in consultation with the relevant stakeholders including, but not limited to, the National Treasury and the State Law Advisors before requesting Cabinet’s approval to publish the Bill for public comments.

Reply:

Honourable Member, both my Departments are familiar with the standard practice requirements and comply with this, unless there are delays beyond any official’s control.

Reply:

(a) For projects within the scope of the Title Restoration Project (projects approved before 31 March 2014), inconclusive township establishment processes have been identified as the major challenge. Township establishment has been prioritised in the Title Restoration Grant.

For newer projects (approved after 1 April 2014) I have issued directives for implementation by provinces. These include an instruction on when conveyancers must register title during the housing delivery process, as well as an instruction to withhold a minimum amount until registration of the property has been confirmed in the deeds office.

(b) The Department has put the following measures in place to ensure that the targets are met:

1. Assessment of provincial business to ensure that targets for township establishment and registration of title are adequate;
2. Project level monitoring;
3. Quarterly performance reviews conducted with provinces and metros; and
4. Quarterly reporting to MinMec.

(c) Township establishment is a lengthy process with legislated timeframes and a necessary precursor to titling. Where appropriate, the Department assists provinces to overcome some of the challenges associated with the formalisation of old townships through intergovernmental arrangements with other national departments.

Reply:

(a) The Title Restoration project has delivered 270 820 title deeds to the rightful beneficiaries, between 2014 and December 2019.

(b) The impact of the Title Restoration Project lies in the value of a title deed, which serves as the owner’s proof of ownership.

(i) It protects individual property rights

(ii) It facilitates market and financial transactions through leveraging the property to access housing finance, enables asset building and formal property transactions.

(ii) Title deeds provides individuals with an address and adds to the rates base of municipalities

(iv) Title deeds enable ownership of the property to pass on to family members in the event of death.

(v) Providing title to state-subsidised properties opens new secondary property markets to banks, lenders and estate agents.

Reply:

The project entails construction of a regional water treatment works near the Spioenkop Dam to replace the existing Ladysmith Water Treatment Works and Ezakheni Water Treatment Works, as well as the replacement of the existing old bulk raw water pipeline from Spioenkop Dam to Ladysmith Town with a larger pipeline.

(a) Communities to be served with water from the project are people residing in Ladysmith Town and surroundings, including Ezakheni, St Chads, Steadville, informal settlement of Roosboom, Driefontein, Matiwaneskop, Jononoskop, Steincoalspruit (Inkunzi), Indaka LM, Okhahlamba, Imbabazane and Umtshezi LM.

(b) A preliminary cost estimate for the project is R1 941 894 392. The social component of the project, projected to cost R479 397 225 will be funded through the Regional Bulk and Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) by the Department of Water and Sanitation. A difference of R1 462 497 167 which is the economic component of the project sourced from co-funding as it constitutes. The uThukela District Municipality has committed to contribute R500 million towards the cost of the economic component and entered into negotiations with Umgeni Water to fund the shortfall.

(c) However, a detailed feasibility study is currently being undertaken by Umgeni Water. It may be necessary to revise the cost estimate may be will be revised upon completion of the feasibility study. It is estimated that detailed feasibility and implementation readiness studies, which commenced towards the end of 2019 will take 24 months. Therefore, it is anticipated that the project will be ready for implementation during the 2021/2022 financial year. The duration of planning and project implementation stages will be informed by the outcomes of the feasibility and implementation readiness studies.

(d) The project is currently at a feasibility study stage and no delays have been experienced so far.

(e) No contractors have been appointed because the project has not yet reached construction stage.

Reply:

(1) (a) The Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA) spent 105% of its R743,64 million budget in the 2018-19 financial year on the development of social housing units, thus representing a total expenditure of R778 273 327.

(b) Yes, there were material reasons why SHRA missed some of its targets. Those reasons have been summarized on page 129 of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA) 2018-19 Annual Report in the column entitled “Variance and comments.” Further explanations were provided by the SHRA on page 35 of the 2018-19 Annual Report in section 4.3.4 of the report entitled “Project Development & Funding (PD&F) Programme”.  For a more detailed explanation of the reasons at a project level, this can be found in Table 4 on pages 17 through 20 of the 2018-19 Annual Report. The table is entitled “Project Challenges and Solutions.”

(c) The remedial actions being taken to ensure that the situation improves are also documented on the same pages of the SHRA 2018-19 Annual Report as has been stated under (b) above. Further to this, the following remedial actions are being implemented by the SHRA:

• Non-performing contracts are terminated within the provisions of the contracts and law;
• Improvements have been introduced in the project accreditation process to curtail delays in planning and projects meeting financial closure;
• The SHRA has engaged with financiers to provide debt/ loan and equity funding to projects toward meeting financial closure;
• The SHRA has employed additional resources to improve the project approval by the provinces in order to ensure contract compliance earlier in the process;
• The SHRA is intervening in the non-performing contracts with a bespoke approach according to the needs per contract.

(2) Conditions of employment such as salaries and qualifications of staff are confidential. Laws such as the Protection of Personal Information Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment, amongst others, protects the confidentiality of such information.

(3) The salary increase of the CEO resolved upon by the SHRA Council was 6% and not 12%. The increase comprises of a 5,5% inflation linked cost of living increase plus an additional 0,5% performance linked increase arising from the 2017 – 18 performance result. This is in accordance with the SHRA remuneration policy and the terms of the employment contract.

 

Reply:

(1) To ensure the validity of the data the Department of Human Settlements has been working on and which was received from municipalities, we have been comparing this with the data from the Department of Social Development as its records are comprehensive in respect of those who require social protection from the state. The data held by the Department of Social Development is credible, based on processes approved by government.

 

In line with the decision of the United Nations to ensure that all social protection should be packaged together by 2020, we are on track to complete that process which already started in 2012. By the end of this process we will have all those who are entitled to benefit from social assistance disaggregated according to the various categories of the state’s assistance for housing. This will assist us to ensure that the rampant duplication of demands by people who have previously benefited is curbed and sift those who do not need free housing but require other assistance in the acquisition of housing. One of these is social housing, which is provided to a particular category of subsidised housing.

With her intimate knowledge of the process of building a social assistance database, Ms Dlamini will be able to guide the process.

(a)(i) The salary increase resolved upon by the Council of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA) for the CEO of SHRA was 6%. This was made up of a 5,5% inflation linked cost of living increase plus an additional 0,5% performance linked increase arising from the 2017/18 performance result. This is in accordance with the SHRA remuneration policy and the terms of the employment contract.

(ii) The salary of SHRA CEO for the 2020/21 financial year has not yet been determined by the SHRA Council.

(b) Falls away.

(3)(a) I have no authority over the salaries of Public Office Bearers, like yourself. In terms of the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office- Bearers Act, 1997, the Independent Commission for the Remuneration of Public Office -Bearers is mandated to make annual recommendations relating to the salaries and /or the upper limits of the salaries, allowances and benefits of Public Office –Bearers.

(b) Refer to (3)(a) above.

 

Reply:

(1) Ms B O Dlamini holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Studies from the University of Zululand. She also possess in-depth practical knowledge of a vast range of social development issues that she obtained through participation in various social development organisations and structures over an extensive period. She will undoubtedly contribute immensely to ensuring that SHRA objectives are realised. The Chairperson will be supported by ten non-executive Council members.

(2)(a) The Social Housing Regulatory Authority plays a key role in the provision of social housing in South Africa and manages a budget allocation of close to R1 billion per annum. The derailment of good governance of the entity, as observed during the first half of the current financial year, required swift action to protect the investment of the state, as required in terms of the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999, as amended, and to ensure continued service delivery to the citizens of the country. The appointment of the interim Council of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority is an interim measure to restore good governance at the entity. A selection committee will be established to advise me on the candidates to be appointed for the new Council, in terms of Section 9(2)(b) of the Social Housing Act, Act 16 of 2008.

(b) Refer to the answer provided in 2(a) above.

Reply:

Conditions of employment such as salaries and qualifications of staff are confidential.  Laws such as the Protection of Personal Information Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment, amongst others, protects the confidentiality of such information.

                                                                                                                       

(i)         I However, wish to indicate to the Honourable Member that posts in the Ministry have been filled as outlined in the Guide for Members of the Executive, otherwise commonly referred to as the Ministerial hand Book.

No	Designation/ Position
1.	Head of Ministerial Services
2.	Cabinet & Parliamentary Liaison Officer
3.	Chief Protocol Officer
4.	Private Secretary
5.	Director: Communications
6.	Stakeholder Relations Officer
7.	Assistant Private Secretary
8.	Appointments Secretary
9.	Office Manager to Head of Ministry
10.	Office Manager to Special Adviser
11.	Personal Assistant
12.	Ministerial Aide
13.	Assistant Stakeholder Relations Officer
14.	Driver/ Messenger
15.	Domestic Worker
16.	Domestic Worker

           

(ii)  I will preface my response to this question by providing background to the Ministerial National Rapid Response Task Team (NRRTT). As far back as 7 May 2015 during my Budget vote speech I said the following: 
 

“Communications and outreach programmes are part of our frontline services to ensure that the correct messages reach our people, in order to reduce the social distance referred to. I have decided to appoint a National Rapid Response Task Team that will help us communicate with our communities before implementing any policies, so that they understand the benefits, who would qualify and who would not, etc. This, we believe will lessen the tension that always arise when there is a development. This Task Team will also assist us understand where there is a problem and allow us to rapidly respond to problems as they arise”.

 The NRRTT has been in existence since the Fifth Administration when I was the Minister of Human Settlements. The Team did not only act as communicators and a consultation arm of the department but it is also in the frontline when there are emergencies in informal settlements. A case in point is the disaster which befell the community of Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay in 2017, where a large section of this area was devastated by fires. Another example is the delay that was caused to the implementation of the N2 Gateway Project in 2007 and 2008 where people who were due to benefit from the project refused to relocate.

Due to the enormity of the challenges facing the Department of Water and Sanitation, which I am now also responsible for, we replicated the model and appointed additional NRRTT members to assist with water and sanitation issues such as the protests in the Vaal and Butterworth areas.

Accordingly, the NRRTT consists of a Convenor, two Deputy Convenors, for Human Settlements and for Water & Sanitation, as well as eight members responsible for Human Settlements and eight members for Water & Sanitation.

Reply:

The Honourable Minister is referred to my response to her question 1665, which deals with the same matter. I wish to reiterate that the appointment of the interim Council of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority is an interim measure to restore good governance at the entity. A selection committee will be established to advise me on the candidates to be appointed for the new Council, in terms of Section 9(2)(b) of the Social Housing Act, Act 16 of 2008.

Reply:

(1)&(2) Honourable Member, please be advised that the question relates to transactions that fall over a ten-year period between 2006 and 2016. This period precedes the term of office of both the current Board as well as the current Executive Team.

I have therefore instructed the Board to conduct an investigation into this matter and provide me with a report, which upon completion will be shared with the Portfolio Committee.

 

Reply:

(a) Consistent with the reply I submitted in respect Parliamentary Question 1523, I wish to reiterate that at present, no province has reported an inability to deliver on their approved human settlements business plans due to the massive strain on key water and sanitation systems.

(b) The Department will continue to exercise oversight on the performance of provinces for the commitments in their approved business plans. Moreover, we shall continue in our resolve to provide technical implementation support in pursuit of the targets set out in the business plans and Medium Term Strategic Framework.

Reply:

Title deeds have been handed over by Members of the Executive Members (MECs) in the various provinces since 29 May 2019. I have therefore referred the question to provinces to provide the detailed information requested by the Honourable Member.

However, the information at the Departments’ disposal with respect to the status of the delivery of title deeds since July 2019 is as follows:

Western Cape – 60 Title deeds were handed over in August 2019

Eastern Cape - 500 title deeds were handed over to beneficiaries in July 2019.

Northern Cape – 209 title deeds were handed over in the province through the ‘Title Deeds Friday’ campaign in Tlhabane, Rustenburg with another 250 titles handed over in September 2019.

North West – 490 title deeds were handed over in August 2019.

Kwazulu Natal – 50 title deeds were handed over in the August 2019 and 500 in July 2019.

Gauteng – 217 title deeds were handed over in Johannesburg during August 2019

Mpumalanga – 700 title deeds were handed over in Barberton during August 2019.

A detailed breakdown will be submitted as soon as the outstanding information is available.

 

Reply:

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is continuing to engage with all stakeholders to develop various water resources to meet the water needs for the growth nodes in Limpopo, including the designated Musina/Makhado Special Economic Zone, as well as the proposed Tubatse Special Economic Zone as I detail below:

MUSINA/MAKHADO SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE

This is a severely water stressed area and the Department of Water and Sanitation is investigating various options for the contemplated development. At this stage, indications are that water needs for Musina/Makhado Special Economic Zone will be met from a mix of sources that include:

• Drawing water from the Limpopo River;
• Reuse of wastewater from Musina town for construction and process operations in the metallurgical/mineral beneficiation complex;
• Groundwater from boreholes in the area;
• Importing of water from catchments in Zimbabwe, under the auspices of the bilateral to jointly develop and manage water resources of the two countries for mutual benefit.
• Mainstreaming water conservation and water demand management in production processes through maximising water reuse, to minimise the uptake of new make-up water. This will also ensure that the water quality of the local water resources is not compromised by pollution from the heavy industries planned;

PROPOSED TUBATSE SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE

The Department of Water and Sanitation’s outlook for availing water to the proposed Tubatse Special Economic Zone and other growth nodes in the Olifants catchment will be from the resources in the Olifants catchment including the Olifants River Water Resources Development Project, comprising of dams and bulk water infrastructure, which is under implementation.

 

Reply:

(1) (a) A total of R3 022 978 951 was spent on the War on Leaks Programme over the five (5) financial years, from 2015/16 to 2019/20

(b) A total of 5520 students have completed their training; of these 4671 are water agents and 49 are artisans

(2) From the 10 469 recruited learners for both phases of the programme, a total of 7 762 learners have been placed for experiential training whilst 1 417 learners were lost through attrition. The Department is exploring options to place the 4 671 water agents by assigning them to regional bulk infrastructure projects to facilitate water conservation. Another consideration is to place them in water services infrastructure projects for advocacy, communication and basic leak detection.

(3) Despite the placements of water agents and artisans (most of whom obtained their experiential training with the private sector) the national average Non Revenue water is 41% with an estimated value of R9.9 billion. The involvement of the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs as well as Water Service Authorities is essential in reducing the water losses

Reply:

(a) The Department of Water and Sanitation has indicated that the cost incurred by departmental official to attend meetings called by the Portfolio Committee of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation as per the Honourable member’s question is as follows:

• R 43 034,02 was incurred to attend the meeting of 29th October 2019 and
• R 44 218,76 was incurred to attend the meeting of 5th November 2019

(b) Four officials stationed at the Department’s offices in Pretoria attended the meeting of 29th October and five officials attended the meeting of 5th November 2019. These officials were supported by officials who are stationed in Cape Town for sessional duties and/or those who were in Cape Town for other meetings.

Reply:

(a) Rustenburg Local Municipality (LM) is a Water Service Authority (WSA) with a mandate for the provision of water and sanitation services within its jurisdiction which includes areas such as Wonderkop and Marikana in the North West Province. However, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) through the Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) has allocated R88 million for the 2019/20 financial years to Rustenburg Local Municipality for additional projects.

Rustenburg LM submitted their Business Plans for the three (3) projects highlighted below and funding was allocated accordingly by DWS. Refer to the table below for the breakdown:

No	Project Name and Description	Project Cost	Allocation	Progress
1	Marikana Upgrading Marikana rising mains, conservancy tank, size of the pumps, pump station.	R12 513 355,9	R12 513 355,9	The progress is at 67%
2	Rustenburg DMA Zones Water audit, meter replacement, sub-zoning, advanced metering infrastructure, reservoir telemetry, repair and replacement of infrastructure, pressure management, water monitoring dashboard and water conservation campaigns.	R37 000 000	R37 000 000	The progress is at 97%
3	Rustenburg North Replacement of AC pipes with uPVC pipes and aged water meters, fire hydrants, valves.	R57 082 000	R38 486 645	The progress onsite is at 65%

(b) DWS does not have a mandate for reticulation and to install water taps in local government areas.

The Honourable Member is requested to refer the question to the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs who will be in a better position to respond to plans in place to supply water reticulation in Wonderkop and Marikana including the installation of water taps.

 

Reply:

1. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) issued the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality with a Directive dated 4 November 2019, to which the Municipality responded on 18 November 2019, confirming that all three sewage pump stations are repaired & operational 24 hours per day and evidence of spill areas have all been rehabilitated. Procurement of new pumps to ensure back up pumps in each pump station will take twelve (12) weeks to implement.

2. The Department, Regional Office in the Eastern Cape has allocated R 7 mil WSIG funds to Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality for planned projects in the 2019/20 financial year. Due to the declaration of drought disaster, DWS has allowed the WSIG funds to be re-prioritised and most of these funds have been assigned to emergency water supply schemes.

3. The Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality has rehabilitated each site by removing solids, papers and screenings for safe disposal, disinfecting the sites and improving general housekeeping at all three sites to comply with industry norms & standards.

4. The Department (DWS) has allowed the WSIG to be re-prioritised and most of these funds have been assigned to emergency water supply schemes. Emergency Drought funding of R 30.02 mil has been given by National Treasury in 2018/9 and Provincial GoGTA has granted R 6.4 mil for drought interventions to drill & equip a total of nine (9) boreholes in the 2019/20 financial year.

 

 

Reply:

1. The number of Dam Safety Evaluations (DSE) conducted by the Department of Water and Sanitation in the past two business years is as follows:

• 2017/18 - nine (9)
• 2018/19 - twelve (12)

The table below contains the details with regard to the name of the dams; the date in which the evaluation was conducted by the Approved Professional Person (APP); the date in which the reports were received by the Dam Safety Office (DSO); and the condition rating (i.e. findings) if the report was accepted by the DSO.

 

No.

Loc No.

Province

Name of dam

Owner Name

WMA

Size Class

Hazard Rating

Category

Date Last Dam Safety Evaluation (DSE)

DSE Received Date

DSE Acceptance Date

Condition Symbol

DSE’s per province

1

Q940/17

EC

ROXENI DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

7

Medium

Significant

2

2019/01/25

2019/02/21

In progress

-

6

2

Q930/45

EC

RURA DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

7

Medium

Significant

2

2019/01/24

2019/02/21

In progress

-

3

Q930/44

EC

NQWELO

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

7

Medium

Significant

2

2019/01/24

2019/02/21

In progress

-

4

Q930/46

EC

SINQUMENI DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

7

Medium

Low

2

2017/09/22

2017/09/29

2017/10/24

D

5

R101/04

EC

PLEASANTVIEW DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

7

Medium

Significant

2

2017/09/20

2017/09/29

2017/10/17

B

6

T201/06

EC

MABELENI DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

7

Medium

Significant

2

2017/09/26

2017/09/29

2017/11/30

C

7

C805/73

FS

BOTTERKLOOF DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

5

Medium

Significant

2

2017/03/30

2018/04/24

2018/05/04

B

1

8

B501/13

LP

LOLA MONTES DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

2

Medium

Significant

2

2018/08/27

2018/10/26

2018/11/30

B

3

9

A702/43

LP

MASHASHANE DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

1

Medium

Significant

2

2017/07/12

2018/09/06

In progress

-

10

B502/25

LP

MOLEPO DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

2

Medium

Significant

2

2017/03/31

2017/05/31

2017/06/29

D

11

B502/23

MP

CHUNIESPOORT DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

2

Medium

Significant

2

2018/05/11

2018/11/23

2019/01/31

D

3

12

X302/32

MP

ACORNHOEK DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

3

Medium

Low

2

2017/10/31

2017/12/01

2017/12/18

D

13

B501/14

MP

MAHLANGU DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

2

Medium

Significant

2

2017/07/06

2017/07/06

2017/07/26

D

14

D730/37

NC

NEUSBERG WEIR

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

6

Medium

Low

2

2017/09/08

2017/09/29

2017/10/06

B

1

15

A215/47

NW

MIDDELKRAAL DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

1

Small

Significant

2

2017/07/07

2018/10/10

In progress

-

4

16

A100/02

NW

NGOTWANE DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

1

Medium

Significant

2

2017/10/23

2018/09/07

In progress

-

17

A304/18

NW

SEHUJWANE DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

1

Medium

Significant

2

2018/05/24

2018/09/06

2019/08/07

C

18

A303/21

NW

PELLA DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

1

Medium

High

3

2017/06/19

2017/10/24

2017/10/25

C

19

E100/04

WC

BULSHOEK DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

9

Small

Significant

2

2018/01/18

2019/03/14

2019/04/12

C

3

20

G100/06

WC

MISVERSTAND-STUWAL

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

9

Medium

Significant

2

2018/01/18

2018/10/25

2019/01/25

B

21

H800/03

WC

DUIVENHOKS DAM

DEPT. OF WATER & SANITATION

8

Large

High

3

2017/09/18

2017/10/02

2017/10/18

C

2. Two dams were rehabilitated namely as follows:

• Elandsdrift Barrage (Eastern Cape);
• Kalkfontein Dam phase 1 (Free State).

The table below contains the details with regard to the name of the dams, the date and the cost of rehabilitating the dams:

Name of Dam	(b)(i) Date	(b)(ii) Scope	c) Cost of rehabilitation
Elandsdrift Barrage	September 2016	Civil works: The raising of the Non-Overspill Crest (NOC), Construction of the breaching section, Toe drain, construction of a gauging weir, access road, Construction of an RCC retaining on the downstream of the breaching section.	R 326 360 725
		Mechanical Works: Refurbishment of Outlet works
Kalkfontein Dam	September 2017	Modification/upgrading of the civil structure of the outlet works in order to accommodate the proposed refurbishment of the mechanical/electrical components. The stabilization of the downstream slope of the dam wall. The widening and paving of the non-overspill crest to a paved crest width.	R 114 354 706

Reply:

(1) Consistent with my reply to Question 767, the Military Veterans Housing Programme (MVHP) is a prominent feature on the agenda of MINMEC, where each province accounts for financial and non-financial performance of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework delivery objectives of the programme.

(2) It should be noted that the Military Veterans Housing Programme is funded from the Human Settlements Development Grant (HSDG). The funding that was not expended on houses for Military Veterans in the 2018/2019 financial year did not revert to the national fiscus as the same was reassigned to deliver other equally important human settlements opportunities such as serviced stands, affordable rental housing, the upgrading of informal settlements and so forth. Moreover, the Department ensured that the units which were not delivered but budgeted for in 2018/2019 were carried over to the 2019/20 financial year.

 

Reply:

Yes, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) successfully developed and implemented the Integrated Biological Remediation Plan for the Hartbeespoort dam (HDRP) from June 2006 to March 2016. The programme was halted from April 2016 to consider an alternative institutional model for long term implementation. It is anticipated that the date for the reinstatement of the HDRP will be in January 2020. The Department of Water and Sanitation intends to continue to engage Rand Water as the Implementing Agent based on the current available budget of R24 million. A decision to opt for the Fast Tracking option of the programme can be done after the confirmation of additional funding.

The Fast Tracking Option incorporates more intensified dam basin rehabilitation activities, as well as intensified catchment activities including:

• Sediment removal & treatment
• River shoreline and wetland rehabilitation
• Upstream litter traps and treatment

This option was decided upon by DWS because a sustainable turning point would be attainable sooner and maintenance options would then be more cost effective in the long term.

The minimum ongoing Operation and Maintenance costing in the Business Plan (2016) was R30 million. An escalation of 33% was added for the last 3.5 years and the cost to date is R40 million. On the same basis, the costing for the Fast Tracking option to date is R69 million, and the Full Scale implementation and extension to other dams will be between R140 and R173 million. Amongst others, upstream catchment activities will include:

• Public awareness and training;
• Compliance and enforcement with the pilot development
• Implementation of the Waste Discharge Charge System (WDCS) to recover cost from polluters.

The focus actions to implement the HDRP for the dam will include the following:

• Biomass, Litter and Debris removal by physical and mechanical methods at 3 dedicated sites after wind concentration and containment. This includes a Litter & Debris trap at Crocodile River inlet.
• Treatment of Biomass to produce organic fertilizer.
• Food web restructuring to ensure a healthy and sustainable aquatic ecosystem in the dam, which entails the removal of the bottom feeding catfish and invasive exotic Carp, the construction and rehabilitation of wetlands, shoreline vegetation and functional floating wetlands.
• The ongoing sediment removal (organic jelly layer) at the dam wall, and the implementation of sediment removal at the Crocodile River mouth, after the completion of the pilot dredging.
• Implementation of river and in stream remediation and enforcement of the Operational Best Practices (OBPs).

 

Reply:

(a) & (b) Due to sensitivities around possible land invasions, the Department of Humans Settlements cannot publicise the location and the sizes of the 167 land parcels earmarked for release by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. It is important to note that the properties have been prioritised for release and subsequent development for human settlement purposes at the request of various Municipalities, Provinces and the Housing Development Agency (HDA).

Reply:

No, the matter raised by Honourable Member is being brought to my attention for the first time. May I request that the Honourable Member furnish my office with the relevant information and contact details of the relevant person so as to request my department to investigate the matter.

 

Reply:

a) The Department of Water and Sanitation is currently not building or planning to build houses for officials of the department in the North West. It should be noted that in the course of preparing for construction of dams or water treatment plants, and as part of the broader project, a few houses are built to accommodate maintenance staff. However, I have been advised that there is no major construction project that is currently underway in the North West Province, where the Department of Water and Sanitation is building houses for this purpose.

b) Falls away.

c) Falls away.

d) Falls away.

 

Reply:

Umkhanyakude District Municipality has indicated to me that it appointed the construction company referred to by the Honourable Member to;

• Operate, maintain, and monitor/manage Water Treatment Works and Wastewater Treatment Works,
• Operate and Maintain Bulk Distribution Infrastructure and Storage Reservoirs

The district municipality has also appointed one of the Water Boards to build a new bulk infrastructure project (the Skhemelele Water Supply Intervention) on behalf of the UMkhanyakude District Municipality.

The scope of the two aforementioned projects are totally different in nature. One entity has been contracted to undertake operations and maintenance and the other entity is employed to construct new bulk infrastructure.

Further, uMkhanyakude District Municipality advised that neither of the two entities has failed in carrying out its obligations in terms of the contract and scope of work agreed to by the contracting parties.

However, should the Honourable Member be in possession of information contrary to the above, please share it with my office or the office of the Minister of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

 

Reply:

(a) &(b) Honourable Member, the construction of the De Hoop Dam is unfolding in various phases. Phase 2A of the De Hoop Dam in Sekhukhune is complete and the dam has been operational since October 2018.

However, completion of the remaining phases is critical for the dam to be utilised optimally. The remaining phases are as indicated below:

• Phase 2B – Pipeline Flag Boshielo Dam to Mokopane, design complete, construction to commence once funding is available.
• Phase 2C – 40 km long pipeline from De Hoop Dam to Steelpoort, construction completed in 2017. Phase 2C interlinks to Phase 2A and the remaining phases 2D, 2E and 2F of the scheme.
• Phase 2D – New pipeline from Steelpoort to Mooihoek and Balancing Dam, pipeline design completed and final work packages for tender purposes was submitted to DWS and are under review. The project is ready to commence with the construction stage, however, the confirmation of funding for the entire project is required. In addition, delays in the finalisation of the acquisition of land may adversely impact on progress with the construction programme due to the required relocations/ resettlements.

• Phase 2E – 10 km gravity pipeline from Mooihoek to Havercroft Junction, tender design stage. This phase is currently on hold due to no funding being allocated.
• Phase 2F – 46 km gravity pipeline from Havercroft Junction to the existing Olifantspoort WTW, tender design stage. This phase is currently on hold due to no funding being allocated.

 

Reply:

No. On inquiring about the matter raised by the Honourable Member, the Karoo Highlands Local Municipality indicated that it was not aware of such activities in the Municipality. Furthermore, there were no members of the public who came to complain to the Municipality about the issue in question.

I would be grateful if the Honourable member could provide me with more information on this matter in order for my department to investigate further.

 

Reply:

(1) (a) The current value of the National Housing Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) warranty fund as at 31 October 2019 was R6.9 billion.

(b) The current insurance liability of the NHBRC as at 31 October 2019 was R1.5 billion.

(2) The total income of the NHBRC is as follows:

1. 2015/16: R801,115,468
2. 2016/17: R879,420,519
3. 2017/18: R776,683,510

(3) I am aware of and sympathetic to the economic hardships that are confronting the country and companies operating in the construction sector. For this reason my department is interacting with the NHBRC and the National Treasury on the best sustainable measures to stimulate and support the construction industry. This includes a possible review of the enrolment fees, the outcome of which will be published once completed.

 

Reply:

During the 2014 – 2019 Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) period, the Department of Human Settlements commenced with the process of developing a White Paper on Human Settlements. However, this process was paused due to the fact that the process of developing a White Paper started at the same time as the process of evaluating policy programmes. The evaluation piece was done by the Department of Human Settlements in partnership with the Presidency, driven by the Cabinet approved evaluation program.

The Department is in the process of developing a Macro Policy Framework for Human Settlements. Extensive progress has been made in this regard, including a series of dialogues with sector stakeholders who are currently grappling with the causal pathways on the issue of Housing and Human Settlements – allowing for a Human Settlements legislative reform by the end of 2020. It must be emphasized that, the Comprehensive Plan for the creation of the Sustainable Human Settlements commonly known as the (Breaking New Ground (BNG) remains valid and in place as the legal framework on Human Settlements.

Reply:

Yes, the Department has been informed about the sinkhole in Umboboyi Street, Mfundo Park, Extension 30 in Vosloorus. On 02 November 2019 the City of Ekurhuleni deployed its Dolomite Risk Management Section to the area and their inspections revealed that the sinkhole was approximately two meters in circumference and one meter deep.

The City of Ekurhuleni has confirmed that some houses suffered cracks, but none were reported to have collapsed.

A process is underway to assess the structural integrity of all the affected houses whilst the residents who are in immediate danger are being consulted before they are relocated to a safe location.

The municipality has commenced with a process to solicit the services of a sinkhole specialist contractor to rehabilitate the sinkhole for the safety of the residents and thereby also mitigate potential future risks to nearby dwellings.

 

Reply:

a) Thus far the full impact of the prevailing drought has not yet been felt on the human settlements delivery value chain nor on the approved human settlement business plans of provinces.

The National Department of Human Settlements has approved nine (9) Provincial Plans for the 2019/20 financial year to the value of R18 779 815 billion. These plans will yield over 140 000 new housing opportunities (units and sites).

The Department recognises that South Africa has limited and erratic rainfall and is essentially a dry and drought-prone country. To mitigate this risk, the Department has Technical Guidelines for the Construction of Stand Alone Residential Dwellings Financed through National Housing Programmes (Housing Code, 2009), which details amongst others Design Considerations for Efficient Water Systems in Low Cost Housing; and the use of Water Saving Devices and Technologies.

In the rural areas, beneficiaries of new state subsidised houses are provided with rain water harvesting system consisting of a 2 500 litre water tank to mitigate water shortages and drought conditions.

Furthermore, the Department of Water and Sanitation is embarking on various measures to educate water users and businesses at large to work with government to reduce water usage and save as much water as possible.

Other interventions being implemented includes desalination, groundwater optimisation, water conservation and demand management, and re-use optimisation.

Where necessary, water restrictions are being implemented by various municipalities across the country to ensure that there is reduced water consumption and that taps do not run dry.

(b) In view of the fact that the current drought conditions have not had effect on the implementation of the human settlements development plans, there is no need, at this stage, for drought related measures to mitigate the delivery of the approved human settlement business plans.

Reply:

(a) The term of office of the Board of the Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) expired on the 5th of July 2019. The date of expiry coincided with the final stages of Parliamentary approval of the Property Practitioners Bill (2018). In order to avoid the existence of a possible governance vacuum at the Estate Agency Affairs Board during the approval process of the Bill, the term of office of the current Board was extended.

(b) The transitional board was appointed with effect from 6 July 2019 until the Property Practitioners Act, Act No. 22 of 2019, comes into effect. The said Act will be operational once the regulations have been finalised early next year.

 

Reply:

(1) Madibeng Water Purification Plant will be completed in two phases as follows:

• Civil work will be completed in June 2020, and
• Mechanical and electrical in February 2021.

(2) The total cost for completion will be higher than the cost of R480 million initially estimated, amounting to R671 million. This is due to the additional scope on pipe re-routing, storage dams, and time wasted on stoppages.

 

Reply:

(1) The KwaZulu-Natal regional office of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is aware that there was a water supply interruption from 30 September to 8 October 2019 in the town of Utrecht. The interruptions were as result of a labour dispute between the Amajuba District Municipality and their employees, relating to benefits that were paid and later deducted from employees’ salaries. Following a settlement in the dispute, water supply was restored on 8 October 2019.

(2) It is suggested that the Honourable Member refer the question to the Minister of CoGTA and Traditional Affairs who will be in a better position to respond to additional questions regarding the matter.

Reply:

The Department of Water and Sanitation is aware of the mining activities on Portion 24 of the Farm Boschmanspoort 159 in Mpumalanga. A site inspection was conducted on 9th October 2019 and departmental officials discovered the following:

a) Lunathi Mining (Pty) Ltd is conducting mining activities in a wetland area, which forms part of a drainage area towards the unnamed stream that feeds into Klein Olifants River, and into the Middelburg Dam.

b) Lunathi Mining (Pty) Ltd does not have a Water Use License.

c) The mining rights belong to Hlelo Mining but the mine is being operated by Lunathi Mining (Pty) Ltd

In line with Section 3 of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, Act no 3 of 2000, a notice of Intention to issue a directive in terms of Section (19(1) and 53(1) was issued to Lunathi Mining (Pty) Ltd to afford the company an opportunity to make representation in writing to the Department within fourteen (14) working days. Should there be no response, a Directive will be issued compelling the mining company to:

(a) Cease the mining operations.

(b) Appoint an independent environmental consultant to compile and submit a Wetland Rehabilitation and Remedial Plans with clear timeframes for Departmental approval, in order to rectify the contraventions.

(c) The mine must appoint a water specialist to conduct water quality analysis of the unnamed stream at the confluence (where the unnamed stream and Klein Olifants river meet), Klein Olifants River and the Middleburg Dam. The finding of the water quality tests must be submitted to the department.

(d) Upon approval of the Plans, to implement all the recommendations contained in the Wetland Rehabilitation and Remedial Plans within thirty (30) working days of the departmental approval of the Plans.

 

Reply:

(a) & (b) Consistent with my reply to question 813, we have an obligation to protect the information sought and cannot publicise the physical location of each of the land parcel that we have acquired for the provision of human settlements and housing as requested by the Honourable Member. Doing so would escalate the risk of potential land invasions and have other unintended consequences.

 

Reply:

(1) The latest report on water losses and Non-Revenue Water (NRW) in South Africa (Includes 2017/18 data) estimates the real losses at 1 150 079 000 m³/a refer to Annexure A. Real losses are defined as physical losses from a pressurised system, up to a point of measurement of customer use. This includes losses from reservoirs and pipe leakages. Refer to Annexure B for water losses per Water Services Authority (WSA). Monitoring and reporting on water losses is a mandate of a WSA as per Water Services Act, (Act No 106 of 1997), and hence the response refers to Water Services Authorities and not per municipality.

(2) The National Water and Sanitation Master Plan provides the schedule of interventions, programs, plans, and projects (including but not limited to infrastructure) that will be implemented to elevate the current situation in the sector to its desired future state. This schedule contains, for each action, specific deliverables, execution times, responsible parties and required budgets. The plan allocates responsibilities to the various tiers of government and other stakeholders for implementation to achieve efficiencies in investment planning, implementation of actions and evaluation of achievements.

Furthermore, the Department is in the process of implementing 5 (five) year water and sanitation reliability implementation plans that will ensure a pipeline of projects that will provide services that are sustainable and keep the municipal infrastructure functional. The Department is also conducting annual municipal business health checks which include the management of municipal infrastructure. Based on the outcome of the business health check the Department assists municipalities to develop 5 year municipal actions plans to address areas that require attention, including assets management, operation and maintenance of assets.

The Department is continuously monitoring and analysing the progress made with the implementation of Water Conservation and Water Demand Management and targets set during the updating of Reconciliation Strategies, at Water Services Authority level, within the eight large water supply systems. All the relevant stakeholders meet twice a year to report progress on the implementation of various strategies which will ensure the sustainability of water resources.

The No Drop Programme, which is an incentive based regulatory tool, entails a comprehensive assessment and audit of planning, finance, technical skills and performance criteria which gives an inclusive view of the Water Demand Management business of the Water Services Authority. The No Drop Programme enables the Department to measure the performance of Water Services Authority and subsequently to reward (or penalise) the institution based upon evidence of their excellence (or failures) according to the minimum standards or requirements that have been defined.

(3) The Department regulates the municipal performance on Water Conservation and Water Demand Management, which includes asset management (as key criteria) as part of the No Drop Programme. The results of the No Drop assessments will indicate whether the WSA should be penalised or rewarded for performance.

Through both the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) and Water Services Act (Act 106 of 1997), the Minister may issue Letters, Notices, Directives and enforcement letters for non-compliance to the set regulatory tools (e.g. water use authorizations and Regulations).

(4) The Department is continuously assessing Non-Revenue Water and water losses in South Africa. Therefore, The Minister, from time to time, at particular place, in any prevailing condition may make statement regarding Water Conservation and Water Demand Management in general.

Reply:

The Department of Human Settlements and the Department of Water and Sanitation have advised me that they have not done business with the companies referred to by the Honourable Member in the past five financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2019 to date.

Reply:

In responding to the question asked by the Honourable Member, the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Department of Human Settlements and the entities reporting to me submitted the information in the tables below:

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AND ITS ENTITIES:

Department of Human Settlements.

Financial Year	Total Advertising Spend
(aa) 2016 – 17	R13 500 490.81
(bb) 2017-18	R22 229 242.17
(cc) 2018-19	R18 787 220.64
TOTAL SPEND	R54 516 953.62

The amount of expenditure that went to a black-owned media company was R51 389 543.05.

Financial Year	Total went to by black-owned media company
(aa) 2016 - 17	R12 844 893.44
(bb) 2017-18	R21 547 846.08
(cc) 2018-19	R16 996 803.53
TOTAL SPEND	R51 389 543.05

The National Department of Human Settlements spent R4 440 617.47 on outdoor adverting during the financial years in question.

Financial Year	Total outdoor advertising
(aa) 2016 – 17	R1 286 770.88
(bb) 2017-18	R2 955 342.59
(cc) 2018-19	R198 504.00
TOTAL SPEND	R4 440 617.47

ENTITIES:

Estate Agency Affairs Board

Advertising expenditure for the three financial years:

Description	(aa) 2016-17	(bb) 2017-18	(cc) 2018-19
Estate Agency Affairs Board	R56 295.53	R269 010.22	R153 091.96
Estate Agency Fidelity Fund	R0.00	R2 628 000.80	R4 393 318.49
Consolidated (Board and Fund)	R56 295.53	R2 897 011.02	R4 546 410.45

Advertising expenditure relating to Black owned media companies and outdoor advertising:

Description	(aa) 2016-17	(bb) 2017-18	(cc) 2018-19
(i) Black-owned media companies Estate Agency Affairs Board Estate Agency Fidelity Fund	R56 295.53 R0.00	R269 010.22 R2 628 000.80	R153 091.96 R4 393 318.49
(ii) Outdoor advertising Estate Agency Affairs Board Estate Agency Fidelity Fund	R0.00 R0.00	R0.00 R0.00	R0.00 R858 240.10

Housing Development Agency (HDA)

1(ii) Advertising expenditure for the three financial years:

Financial year	(aa) 2016-17	(bb) 2017-18	(cc) 2018-19
Amount	R1 553 969.32	R777 949.74	R1 544 003.50

Advertising spend on Black Owned Media Companies and outdoor advertising that went to Black Owned media companies in the 2016 – 2019 financial year:

Description	Financial year
	(aa) 2016-17	(bb) 2017-18	(cc) 2018-19
Black owned media companies	R1 533 647.44	R771 699.75	R1 517 950.94
Outdoor advertising	None.	None.	None.

Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS)

Advertising expenditure for the three financial years:

Financial year	(aa) 2016-17	(bb) 2017-18	(cc) 2018-19
Amount	R225 000.00	R2 151 000.00	R1 232 000.00

Advertising spend on Black Owned Media Companies 2016 – 2019:

Financial Year	Total went to by black-owned media company
(aa) 2016 - 17	R109 609.81
(bb) 2017-18	R1 127 778.48
(cc) 2018-19	R438 100.00
TOTAL SPEND	R1 675 488.29

Outdoor advertising by Black Owned Media Companies in each specified financial year. There was no outdoor advertising by Black Owned Media Companies in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 financial year:

Financial Year	Total outdoor advertising
(aa) 2016 – 17	R0.00
(bb) 2017-18	R0.00
(cc) 2018-19	R438 100.00
TOTAL SPEND	R438 100.00

National Housing Builders Registration Council (NHBRC)

Advertising expenditure for the three financial years:

Financial year	(aa) 2016-17	(bb) 2017-18	(cc) 2018-19
Amount	R19 203 153.00	R2 308 006.00	R3 038 281.00

2(b)(i) Advertising spend on Black Owned Media Companies 2016 – 2019:

Financial Year	Total went to by black-owned media company
(aa) 2016 - 17	R16 237 742.00
(bb) 2017-18	R754 665.00
(cc) 2018-19	R1 668 809.00
TOTAL SPEND	R18 661 216.00

The NHBRC did not commission outdoor advertising during the 3 financial years in question.

National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC)

Advertising expenditure for the three financial years:

Financial year	(aa) 2016-17	(bb) 2017-18	(cc) 2018-19
Amount	R347 875.22	R58 381.68	R648 322.93

2(b) (i) Advertising spend on Black Owned Media Companies 2016 – 2019:

Financial Year	Total went to by black-owned media company
(aa) 2016 - 17	R347 876.22
(bb) 2017-18	R58 321.68
(cc) 2018-19	R627 794.73
TOTAL SPEND	R1 033 992.63

NHFC did not commission outdoor advertising during the 3 financial years in question.

Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA)

Advertising expenditure for the three financial years

Advertising Expenditure	(aa) 2016-17	(bb) 2017-18	(cc) 2018-19
Total	R69 220.96	R842 669.00	R718 542.40

Advertising spend on Black Owned Media Companies 2016 – 2019:

Financial Year	Total went to by black-owned media company
(aa) 2016 - 17	R0.00
(bb) 2017-18	R39 800.00
(cc) 2018-19	R0.00
TOTAL SPEND	R39 800.00

SHRA did not commission outdoor advertising during the 3 financial years in question.

DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND SANITATION:

Amounts spent on advertising incurred by the Department of Water and Sanitation are as follows:

Financial Year	Amount
aa) 2016-17	R 18,348,924.25
bb) 2017-18	R 13, 573, 547.85
cc) 2018-19	R 44 747 917.23

ENTITIES:

(ii)	(aa) 2016-17	(bb) 2017-18	(cc) 2018-19
Amatola Water	R182 000	R230 000	R206 000
Bloem Water	R226 049.15	R118 900.07	R 0
Lepelle Northern Water	R200,179.61	R245,268.97	R215,422.40
Magalies Water	R1,294,354.14	R1,095,411.21	R1,380,925.41
Mhlathuze Water	R522 358,32	R757 974,74	R1 053 151,42
Overberg Water	R295 671,82	R286 206,85	R113 613,57
Rand Water	R919 984.00 R1 006, 738.82 R3 337 877.50	R1 050, 000.00 R3 094 403.80	R321 847.05 R988, 833.25 R2 020 972.01
Sedibeng Water	R1 703 990.20 R75 720.66	R78 384.00 R40 995.49	R0.00 R79 292.50
Umgeni Water	R1 020 927.33	R1 441 568.61	R1 542 251.31
TCTA	R0	R73 743.75	R99 774.
WRC	R440 879.38	R279 537.01	R99 661.92

(b)	(i)	(ii)	(c)
Amatola Water	None	Not applicable	Not applicable
Bloem Water	BEE STATUS – 51% 2016-17 R 142290.68 2017-18 R118 900.07 2018-19 R 0	Not applicable	Not applicable
	BEE STATUS – 100% 2016-17 R 29369.67
	BEE STATUS – 100% 2016-17 R 30386.4
	BEE STATUS – 16.39% 2016-17 R 24002.4
Lepelle Northern Water	2016/17 R15,000.00 R18,176.40 R82,500.00 2017/18 R39,000.00 2018/19 R90,000.00	2016/17 R15,000.00 R18,176.40 R82,500.00 2017/18 R39,000.00 2018/19 R90,000.00	2016/17 R15,000.00 R18,176.40 R82,500.00 2017/18 R39,000.00 2018/19 R90,000.00
Magalies Water	BEE STATUS – LEVEL 6 BO- 45.10% BWO -22.55% 2016-17 R 283,072.28 2017-18 R121,142.78 2018-19 R345,805.35	Not applicable	Not applicable
	BEE STATUS –LEVEL 1 BO 53% BWO 14% 2017-18 R 800,562.86 2018-19 R 987,118.60
	BEE STATUS –LEVEL 2 BO 17% BWO 6% 2016-17 R 90,870.94 2017-18 R130,545.17 2018-19 R48,001.46
	BEE STATUS – LEVEL 3 BO 56.8% BWO 17.79% 2016-17 R 920,410.92 2017-18 R43,160.40
Mhlathuze Water	R2 363 484, 48 2016/17 R522 358, 32 2017/18 R757 974, 74 2018/19 R1 053 151,42	None	2016/2017 R190 108.00 outdoor advertising
Overberg Water	BEE STATUS – LEVEL 3 2016-17 R 295 671,82 2017-18 R 286 206,85 2018-19 R 113 613,57	None	None
Rand Water	2016/2017 R3 902 501.50 2017/2018 R3 094 403.80 2018/2019 R2 112 707.20	None	None
Sedibeng Water	BEE STATUS - 50% R1 978 382.85. Out of the amount of R1 978 382.85, an amount of R1 782 374.20 was paid to community based radio stations.	R266 584.84: Was paid to a company which is 50% black owned.	Not applicable
Umgeni Water	2016/17 R768 286.43 2017/18 R894 323.80 2018/19 R906 561.41	None	None
TCTA	B-BBEE STATUS- Level 3 2017/2018 R 36 807.75 2018/2019 R 59 409.00	Not applicable	Not applicable
	B-BBEE STATUS Level 2 (2017-18) Level 1 (2018-19) 2017/2018 R 36 936.00 2018/2019 R 40 365.00
WRC	2016/17 R189 415.58	None	None

 

Reply:

The Department of Water and Sanitation working together with various municipalities that are Water Service Authorities (WSA) in the Limpopo Province have and continue to implement a number of projects to remedy the lack of clean running water in the Limpopo Province. The Honourable Member is referred to Annexure A, attached, which indicates the eight Regional Bulk Infrastructure projects which have either been completed or are being implemented.

 

Reply:

Honourable Member, the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is empowered under Section 3 of the Disaster Management, Act (No. 57 of 2002), to declare a national disaster in the provinces. Accordingly, this question should be referred to my colleague, the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

The Magoegoe, Khoi Khoi, Majemantsho, Makubung and Tsetse villages located in the outskirts of the Mafikeng Local Municipality jurisdiction are currently affected by drought. Funds have been made available through the Water Service infrastructure Grant (WSIG) in the 2018/2019 financial year to refurbish the existing operating boreholes to optimise them as part of the relief programme for the areas mentioned. Progress is at 90% to completion whilst awaiting the supply of electricity by Eskom.

The Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality is a Water Service Authority with a mandate to provide the provision of water and sanitation services within its jurisdiction. The Municipality has appointed Sedibeng Water Board as a Water Service Provider to some of its local municipalities including the Mafikeng Local Municipality. The conditional assessment was conducted by Sedibeng Water Board to optimize the waste water bulk infrastructures. The recommended action was to refurbish the Mmabatho Water Treatment Works (WTW) to bring it to its original capacity of 20Ml/d had deteriorated from 20 Ml/d to 15 Ml/d due to a lack of complying with the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) by the municipality. The project was completed in December 2015.

The Department of Water and Sanitation, through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) has availed funds for the upgrade of Mafikeng’s water infrastructure. Interventions that have been implemented and those that are ongoing to ensure water supply in the Mafikeng area include:

a) The refurbishment of six boreholes situated at the Molopo eye and Grootfontein compartment, which is another source of water supply to the Mafikeng area.

b) The pipeline from Molopo eye to Mafikeng was upgraded by the Department of Water and Sanitation through infrastructure built to ensure that the supply is sufficient to cater for the current demand. The scheme is operated by DWS and Sedibeng Water Board as the Water Service Provider.

c) A further upgrade of the Mmabatho Water Works will bring an additional capacity of 10Ml/d, for a total of 30Ml/d. The project is currently at 89% to completion on the upgrade of water works, whilst the mechanical and electrical is at 45% to completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2020.

d) Phase 3 is a construction of the Lokaleng reservoir and a 10 km bulk pipeline to connect to existing reticulation which will commence once phase 2 is completed. Completion of the entire project is anticipated in mid-2021.

Reply:

The Jan Smuts Dam in Brakpan is owned by the City of Ekurhuleni and not by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) as it is not classified as a dam with a safety risk it terms of Section 117(c) of the National Water Act.

Accordingly, it is suggested that the Honourable Member consider referring the question to, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs who is in a better position to respond to issues regarding the rehabilitation works, the budget and timeframes for the Jan Smuts Dam.

Reply:

(1)(a)&(b) A summary of the houses built and title deeds issued is as follows:

Areas	Houses built	Title Deeds issued
Inanda	1 583	59
Ntuzuma	1 274	1 037
KwaMashu	6	6
TOTAL	2 863	1102

(2)(a)&(b) The National Department of Human Settlements has developed a "Policy Prescript For The Allocation Of Housing Opportunities Created Through The National Housing Programme" which, amongst others, advocates for the prioritization of persons with disabilities and child-headed households.

Moreover, the number of houses and title deeds that are issued to persons with disabilities are dependent on the number of applications that are received in all areas.

No houses were handed over to persons with disabilities between 2014 and 2017. In 2018, five (5) housing subsidy applications were approved in Inanda for beneficiaries who have disabilities or are wheelchair-bound.

3 (a) & (b) The National Housing Code stipulates that in a case of a child-headed household the relevant Provincial Department of Human Settlements must contact the Department of Social Development and determine if a guardian has been appointed in relation to the child-headed household. Upon obtaining confirmation from the Department of Social Development, the subsidy details of the child-headed household will be registered in the name of the guardian. The title deed will also be registered in the name of the guardian until such time that one of the children linked to the household turns eighteen years of age. The relevant Provincial Department of Human Settlements will be responsible for the deregistration of the title deed from the name of the guardian and thereafter register the title deed afresh in the name of the child who has acquired the age of eighteen years.

The information at the disposal of the Department, namely the Housing Subsidy System, does not include child-headed households as Provinces are the custodians of this information.

Reply:

(a) The National Department of Human Settlements provides grant funding to Provinces for Hostel Redevelopment and renovations. According to the City of Ekurhuleni Municipality, they are currently assessing the conditions and structural integrity of all rental properties (including hostels and flats) within its boundaries as a short term plan. The assessments of hostels will be followed by a maintenance plan for a period of 5-10 years. For purposes of the long term plan, the City will partner with the Gauteng Provincial Department of Human Settlements to refurbish the hostels.

(b) The City of Ekurhuleni allocates a budget for minor hostel maintenance every financial year to ensure that tenants live in dignified conditions.

(c) In total there are 24 hostels within the city of Ekurhuleni, of which the five listed below have been prioritised for maintenance:

1. Wattville Hostel
2. Thokoza Hostel
3. KwaThema Hostel
4. Sethokga Hostel
5. Castle Hostel

(d) The City together with the Gauteng Provincial Department of Human Settlements are in partnership to refurbish the hostels as well as address issues related to long term maintenance.

For the 2019/2020 financial year, the City of Ekurhuleni Municipality has set aside R15 499 000.00 for the maintenance of hostels.

Maintenance of the rest of the hostels will take place once the structural assessments have been completed and a maintenance plan is approved.

Reply:

(1) According to the information provided by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, the Bekkersdal sewer rehabilitation project in Rand West City has not yet been completed. The work done to date accounts for a completion rate of 57%, and construction is still underway.

(2) (a) The amount spent to date on the Bekkersdal sewer rehabilitation project is R218 997 795.82

(b) The reasons for the non-completion of the project are as follows:

(i0 The project did not commence on schedule due to community protests;

(ii) There were labour issues between the contractor and workers which needed to be resolved prior commencement of the project;

(iii) The project was further delayed by stoppages from the Department of Labour when it was mediating a dispute over salaries between the contractor and its workers.

(iv) The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements was also not satisfied with the performance of the contractor and their concerns had to be resolved.

 

 

Reply:

The Department of Water and Sanitation and the Department of Human Settlements did not incur any costs related to either the inauguration of the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa, held in Pretoria, nor the State of the Nation Address in Cape Town on the dates mentioned.

 

Reply:

The Nqweba Dam, formerly known as the Van Ryneveld’s Pass Dam, near Graaff- Reinet in the Eastern Cape is used for municipal water supply to the town of Graaff-Reinet in the Dr. Beyers Naude Local Municipality.

The dam was designed by the Department for Irrigation and was constructed between 1921 and 1925 for the Van Ryneveldspas Irrigation Board. It is a concrete gravity dam with a maximum wall height of 46 m and a capacity of 46 million m3. Ownership was transferred to the Camdeboo Local Municipality in 2002.

Dam Safety Inspection Reports found the structure to be unstable under Recommended Design Flood conditions. This shortcoming is typical of concrete gravity dams designed at a time when flood estimates were based on inadequate hydrological records and when uplift forces in concrete gravity dams were not fully understood. A possible dam-break flood caused by a failure of the dam wall would cause a high loss of life and a large amount of damage.

Following studies which were conducted on the best way to proceed with the rehabilitation of the dam, there was an impasse on the recommendations due to a dispute on the different conclusions reached by the experts. One report indicated that the dam does meet the required factors of safety. The Dam Safety Office, which acts as a Regulator within my department, requested that an independent expert be appointed to carry out a dam safety evaluation of the dam and to review the analysis done in the first report. However, due to budgetary constraints, the DWS was not able to carry out the review as requested at the time. I have since instructed the department to find a budget for this review from the current baseline and reprioritise the existing budget.

To resolve this impasse, I have instructed my Department to procure the services of an approved professional independent person/company with dam safety expertise so that the required rehabilitation of Nqweba Dam can commence in earnest.

 

Reply:

The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements has advised that plans are well underway to complete the Droogheuwel Water Tower Project. This is a multi-year project with a value of R169 000 000.00 and is currently 91% complete. It is anticipated that by end October 2019, the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements will transfer the balance of R 32 008 863.21 to the Rand West City Local Municipality which will effectively enable the total completion of the project.

I have been informed that the Rand West City Local Municipality has not invested funds in the VBS Mutual Bank. However, should the Honourable Member possesses information contrary to this, I would encourage him to send it to the law enforcement agencies for investigation.

 

 

Reply:

The Tsambokhulu Village is already receiving water supply from the Masibekela Water Treatment Plant which abstract water from the Komati River. The plant was upgraded in 2013 from 7ML /Day to 14ML/Day in order to address the water demand of the Southern area of Nkomazi Local Municipality including Tsambokhulu Village. The project was completed in 2016 and is being operated by the Nkomazi Local Municipality.

However, due to inadequate electrical supply, the Masibekela Water Treatment Plant is currently operating at an average volume of 9ML/Day. The shortfall is due to additional electricity supply needed to optimise the Masibekela Treatment Plant. This is being addressed through an application which has already been lodged with Eskom.

To address the above, I wish to inform the Honourable Member that my Department is assisting the municipality to address the matter and has lodged an application with ESKOM for the supply of electricity to the Masebekela Water Treatment Plant. The improvement of electrical supply will enable the plant to operate at full capacity and the water demand for Tsambokhulu village will be fully accommodated.