Western Cape Human Settlements MEC will hold a public meeting with the Nduli Community of Ceres on Thursday, 8 August 2013.
The public meeting is part of a road show to present the Access to Basic Services program and incremental housing approach through a series of public meetings. MEC Madikizela has been travelling to different municipalities of the Western Cape, to speak directly to the people of the Western Cape and explain the department’s approach.
Around 500 000 households require decent housing in the Western Cape, and the department has budget to deliver around 25 000 housing opportunities per year. This means that relatively few people will get houses, and some will have to wait over 20 years for a house. Many people are waiting under conditions with no running water, toilets or garbage removal.
The first step is to ensure that everyone has access to basic services according to the national minimum standards, which are 1 toilet for every 5 households, and 1 tap for every 25 households.
The next step is to deliver houses through the incremental housing approach. This means that people will be given a piece of land, with services installed, on which they can build a house while they wait for their formal house. Houses will still be built; however, the department will use more of their budget to make sure that many people have serviced sites first, rather than a few having a completed house.
Through this approach, people will have the option of building a decent house for themselves on a site with service infrastructure while they wait for their government subsidy house. Through partnership with the people of the Western Cape, the department can work better together with all its citizens to deliver housing for all.
Municipalities are primarily responsible for the installation of services, and the development of housing, and the department has the authority to authorize funding to the municipalities for the different programs. The departments approach falls within the guidelines of the National Housing Policy.
Details:
Date: Thursday, 8 Aug 2013
Time: 14h00
Venue: Nduli Community Hall, Nduli, Ceres.
For media enquiries:
Nathan Adriaanse
Cell: 083 263 1720
Bruce Oom
Cell: 072 465 5177
