Human Settlements Minister Connie September has called on people to actively participate in government housing processes in order to ensure there was meaningful delivery and that houses provided by the State benefit those who deserve.
Minister September was speaking in Clanwilliam, a small town in the Cederberg Municipality where she addressed a Housing Summit organised by the Department of Human Settlements, to give feedback on progress made by the government in housing delivery and look at challenges experienced over the last 20 years of democracy.
The Minister urged beneficiaries of the various housing programmes pursued by the government, to be vigilant and speak out whenever they felt there was something wrong, irrespective of whether this was committed by the authorities.
She said over the last 20 years, the government had built at least 3.6 million houses including serviced sites. However, she added that the government was aware this was not yet enough as it had to reduce a housing backlog that had been created over many years.
The minister also encouraged people to participate in other government housing projects such as the People’s Housing Process (PHP) where communities come together to build their own houses through the financial help and expertise provided by government support.
“We are moving South Africa forward by making money available to build houses in the country. We are urging our communities to become active participants so that they can be empowered to make a meaningful contribution,” she said.
Minister September also condemned those who acquired government houses but would later rent them out to others or sell them illegally. She warned that those involved in such practices would no longer be eligible to receive another government provided house or subsidy. The Minister appealed to members of the community to report such wrong practices whenever they happened.
“When you see that something illegal is happening in your community or neighbourhood, please report that to the police or to the street committee,” she urged.
Minister September asked community members not to lose hope with the Government saying there were clear plans in place to deal with South Africa’s housing problems. She reiterated that South Africa could no longer afford the separate development approach as was previously employed by the apartheid government but wanted to build united and non-racial communities where people of all backgrounds, races and class lived together.
“We have a plan to do away with racial segregation by changing the way houses are been built, said Minister Connie September.
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