Basics need fixing if housing crisis is to be solved

The world, as we know it, has fundamentally changed in the face of the global coronavirus pandemic. One of the key changes has been how we perceive and use the spaces we live, work and play in.

Across the globe, lockdowns have forced people to re-evaluate the way they use the spaces around them and find innovative solutions to remain productive while staying safe from the invisible enemy.

This has led to a dramatic shift in working remotely, adopting virtual technologies, and a change in retail and entertainment habits.

It has also cast a harsh spotlight on the cramped, under-serviced living conditions that many of our people have to endure.

The Eastern Cape, as one of the more rural and impoverished provinces, has been significantly affected. Our urban townships are hopelessly overcrowded and lack the very basic of services to practise safe hygiene.

These issues are being compounded by a dramatic downturn in economic activity because of the virus outbreak and subsequent lockdown. Many jobs, particularly in the informal and semi-skilled labour markets, have already been lost, and along with them, much-needed household income. This, in turn, places an even greater burden on the state.

It is times like these that a visionary and caring government needs to evaluate its policies, programmes and implementation methods to respond to the future.

Unfortunately, the current government of the day does not have a good track record in this regard.

The human settlements department, mandated to facilitate and co-ordinate the provision of quality, integrated and sustainable human settlements that offer its communities a better living environment, has failed to deliver on their targets every year.

Faced with a dwindling annual budget, the department is severely ill-equipped to tackle the monumental challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The recently proposed de-densification programme, launched at national level, has already faced significant backlash, with experts saying that the cost of the planned moves was such, that the money would be better spent improving conditions in those communities.

The Duncan Village de-densification  project has already hit speed bumps, with residents set to be relocated to temporary structures near Mdantsane and Egoli saying they cannot afford the daily transport costs to and from East London.

They want to know why Buffalo City Metro chose to relocate people 25km away when land closer to Duncan Village is available for this purpose.

The department needs to start putting systems in place that will improve its ability to respond to the needs of our people.

Among these will be to strengthen its digital construction management system, which it must ensure is able to track the construction of houses from planning to occupation.

This will help the department mitigate against substandard work and the current waste of resources in rectifying mistakes on houses that are already built.

As the DA we also believe that the department, working with municipalities, must begin to implement a centralised digital beneficiary management system, to ensure that it mitigates against list manipulation and corruption.

A full audit of existing lists needs to be done, to ensure the correct beneficiary occupation across all municipalities. Steps must be taken to resolve issues of illegal occupation of houses.

Together, the department and municipalities, must also urgently deal with land acquisition and the management of land already owned. Effective land acquisition and management will ensure that illegal land occupation and land invasions are averted.