The director general of the National department of Human Settlements Mbulelo Tshangana called on senior managers of the provincial department to keep improving its administrative processes and ensure that there is stability. Tshangana said that may see the provincial department being moved from section 100.1 A to 100.1B, as officials have shown much improvement in compliance and administration.
Tshangana was addressing senior managers of the provincial department of Human settlements in Rustenburg, during a strategic planning session. He said that the department has shown much improvements recently and that he has confidence that the leadership in the department will ultimately bring the department back to its glory days. He said that the department should come up with an innovative approach to ensure public private partnership with stakeholders like mines and other entities, to ensure that it achieve a sustainable human settlements in the province.
“Moving from disclaimer to qualified audit is a positive move. This clearly shows that you are slowly showing signs of improvement and I’m humbled by the gesture. However I would like to encourage you to strengthen your relations with local government as you can’t function without them. They provide bulk services which will form part of the critical amenities to the breaking new grounds programs. Therefore I call up on you to invest in planning and ensure that you achieve on your goals,” said Tshangana.
Meanwhile the provincial department recommitted to fast tracking the delivery of houses in the province, following a serious delay in the past year due to Corona pandemic and other challenges that prevented delivery throughout the province. The department made the said commitment during the same strategic planning session.
According to the department there is a serious backlog in services rendered by the department and that has created a serious backlog in service delivery. The commitments cited were those of ensuring that constant monitoring will be strengthened, due diligence to be conducted, inclusion of penalty clause on every contract signed with developers, implementation of consequence management and many others.
The Acting Head of Department in the Province James Mashigo, called on officials to ensure that the province becomes a construction site and further make sure that they double their efforts in ensuring that proper houses, matching the standard set are built for beneficiaries.
“Let us turn this province into a construction site. We do that based on our vision of ensuring that we create a community in an integrated and sustainable human settlement. We owe it to the people of the North West and to us as a department. I must also commend the department for making sure that you move the department from disclaimer to qualified audit. This simply tells that you have given a serious attention to the post audit action plan,” said the hopeful Mashigo.
Mashigo further made it clear to officials that the plans by the department will make sure that local economy is developed, thus reducing poverty and creating employment for local communities. He said that currently the department is dealing with backlogs and want to ensure that they move at a faster pace, while ensuring that quality is not compromised. He also commended officials for prioritizing women and other special groups in their planning and execution of departmental services.
Among others, managers committed to improve and bring innovation within internal processes, which are guided by prescripts. Through the easing of some restrictions by government, the department further committed to ensure that consumer education will be fast tracked while observing tough Covid restrictions. The department had scaled down on its contact with low cost houses beneficiaries due to limitations in public gatherings as outlined by government. Other methods will be employed to make sure that beneficiaries are educated about their rights as consumers.
For enquiries:
Dineo Lolokwane (Spokesperson)
Cell: 072 542 8444
Tel : 018 388 2081
Email: dlolokwane@nwpg.gov.za
