The housing backlog in the Eastern Cape stands at an estimated 400 000 units, according to the official account.
Provincial department of human settlements (DHS) spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said DHS had built 12979 RDP homes in the 2016-17 financial year and 11090 the following year.
It expects to build 8567 in the current financial year, which started on Sunday.
Sicwetsha said the number of units built had been declining due to less money from national government and this had affected most departments.
DHS introduced interventions this week aimed at countering beneficiary problems including wrong allocation of homes.
“The housing backlog in the Eastern Cape is at an estimated 400 000 but it is a moving target so it is difficult to say now,” he said.
The Daily Dispatch reported last year how a housing construction project worth millions came to a standstill after angry residents of Ndancama informal settlement broke into the unoccupied RDP houses.
Human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August said her department received regular complaints from citizens about misallocation of houses, illegal occupations and manipulation of approved beneficiary lists. She said these practices left either houses without occupants or people without homes.
“Our focus is to strengthen our beneficiary administration system and close the gaps that put a blemish on successful delivery of houses. We will respond to the persistent allegations of manipulation of beneficiary lists in respective municipalities,” she said.
The provincial department will, as part of the interventions, assume full responsibility for beneficiary list administration in all municipalities on all new projects.
“The department is also embarking on an audit and verification of approved beneficiaries dating from the year 1994 to 2004.
“This audit will be done as part of the close-out of old and blocked projects. Beneficiaries who have not yet received their houses and whose social and economic status has not changed will remain in the housing subsidy system.”
In her written parliamentary response report last year, Sauls-August said 154 housing units in BCM had remained vacant since 2013. Another 79 houses in Elundini and 25 in Jamestown have been unoccupied for eight years.
The department will assist to ensure the functionality of a correct beneficiary occupation programme across municipalities.
Sicwetsha said the national housing needs register, which identifies beneficiaries, will ensure all three spheres of government are aware of who should receive which house.
Previously, municipalities were given powers to approve housing lists by council resolutions.
The DHS has also given support to the municipalities. Under the new interventions, the municipalities must comply by using housing needs registers and set up housing allocations committees.
The MEC said the new interventions were intended to ensure that the beneficiary administration process was fair and transparent, that completed homes were allocated to the rightful beneficiaries and that there were no completed houses that remain unoccupied for long periods.
The issue of unoccupied homes has benefited some though.
Mlungwana Primary School in Cala, after years of empty promises from the education department, took occupation of six vacant RDP houses and turned them into classes for its 301 pupils. — zolilem@tisoblackstar.co.za
New moves to fix E Cape massive housing backlog
Provincial department of human settlements (DHS) spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said DHS had built 12979 RDP homes in the 2016-17 financial year and 11090 the following year.
It expects to build 8567 in the current financial year, which started on Sunday.
Sicwetsha said the number of units built had been declining due to less money from national government and this had affected most departments.
DHS introduced interventions this week aimed at countering beneficiary problems including wrong allocation of homes.
“The housing backlog in the Eastern Cape is at an estimated 400 000 but it is a moving target so it is difficult to say now,” he said.
The Daily Dispatch reported last year how a housing construction project worth millions came to a standstill after angry residents of Ndancama informal settlement broke into the unoccupied RDP houses.
Human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August said her department received regular complaints from citizens about misallocation of houses, illegal occupations and manipulation of approved beneficiary lists. She said these practices left either houses without occupants or people without homes.
“Our focus is to strengthen our beneficiary administration system and close the gaps that put a blemish on successful delivery of houses. We will respond to the persistent allegations of manipulation of beneficiary lists in respective municipalities,” she said.
The provincial department will, as part of the interventions, assume full responsibility for beneficiary list administration in all municipalities on all new projects.
“The department is also embarking on an audit and verification of approved beneficiaries dating from the year 1994 to 2004.
“This audit will be done as part of the close-out of old and blocked projects. Beneficiaries who have not yet received their houses and whose social and economic status has not changed will remain in the housing subsidy system.”
In her written parliamentary response report last year, Sauls-August said 154 housing units in BCM had remained vacant since 2013. Another 79 houses in Elundini and 25 in Jamestown have been unoccupied for eight years.
The department will assist to ensure the functionality of a correct beneficiary occupation programme across municipalities.
Sicwetsha said the national housing needs register, which identifies beneficiaries, will ensure all three spheres of government are aware of who should receive which house.
Previously, municipalities were given powers to approve housing lists by council resolutions.
The DHS has also given support to the municipalities. Under the new interventions, the municipalities must comply by using housing needs registers and set up housing allocations committees.
The MEC said the new interventions were intended to ensure that the beneficiary administration process was fair and transparent, that completed homes were allocated to the rightful beneficiaries and that there were no completed houses that remain unoccupied for long periods.
The issue of unoccupied homes has benefited some though.
Mlungwana Primary School in Cala, after years of empty promises from the education department, took occupation of six vacant RDP houses and turned them into classes for its 301 pupils. — zolilem@tisoblackstar.co.za
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