Our purpose as the Department of Human Settlements is to create an enabling environment for the development of sustainable human settlements in partnership with stakeholders to improve the quality of life for all in KwaZulu-Natal.
We are responsible for rural housing development, the regulation of home building standards, social housing initiatives, the provision of subsidies, and the development of rental stock, facilitating access to housing for vulnerable groups, military veterans and the middle-income group, the revitalisation of hostels and to support and strengthen municipal capacity. Our primary focus is providing adequate shelter for the poor.
In his State of the Nation address that gave the marching orders to the current administration, President Jacob Zuma outlined the following as our key national priorities: education, health, rural development and land reform, creating decent work, and fighting crime.
In addition, he stated that government would work to improve the effectiveness of local government, accelerate infrastructure development and create sustainable human settlements. These national priorities are aimed at creating an environment that is conducive to economic growth and social development.
Our government is committed ensuring that service delivery reaches every part of the province, from big urban metropolitan centres such as uMsunduzi to far flung places such as uMhlabuyalingana. Rural housing development is especially vital for us as a province.
And as such, there has been a substantial increase in the overall housing delivery within rural areas in recent years, particularly in those areas that have previously being excluded by apartheid planning. KwaZulu-Natal province is a predominantly rural province and as such there is a greater need for Rural Housing Development. Due to the high level of intra-provincial migration there is a need to prioritise the rapid development of rural housing.
Focused attention has thus been paid over the past three years to promoting rural development. A total of 26 328 housing units have been completed, benefitting approximately 118 476 individuals accommodated by rural housing stock, and thereby affording housing to the destitute in rural areas. A contributing factor to this accelerated rural development is the rapid identification and release of rural land through the continued partnership and commitment of the relevant stakeholders inclusive of the traditional councils.
In line with the national and provincial priority of rural development, the department will continue to accelerate housing delivery in rural areas throughout the province. Approximately 60 percent of the budget allocation has been allocated to rural development and this demonstrates the department’s commitment to more effective and sustainable rural development in line with national and provincial priorities.
The Department of Human Settlements is currently placing greater emphasis on the need to provide rural housing. The approach of the Department of Human Settlements is to accommodate the needs of rural communities which entail upgrading household units in their present location and not expecting people to resettle in order to create a more compact settlement structure.
There are currently six human settlements interventions in Umhlabuyalingana Local Municipality:
- Mabaso Rural Housing Project
- Mbazwane Housing Project
- Kwangwanase Housing Project
- Kwangwanase Phase two rural housing
- Mbila Rural Housing Project
- Mashabane Rural Housing Project
These projects have a total value of over R229 million.
Today I am proud to officially hand over 560 houses that have been completed in Mabaso A and 200 in the Mabaso B.
The Kwamabaso Housing Project
The Mabaso Housing Project, evidently, is one of the first deliveries of government. The ANC led government has brought this development to you. In terms of the new demarcation Mabaso Housing delivery falls into three municipal wards of Umhlabuyalingana, Ward 3 South, Ward 5 on the North East and Ward 15 on the North West.
There is general history of slow service delivery in the area of Umkhanyakude District and Umhlabuyalingana Municipality in particular. This has to change and this change is our hands. The fundamental service delivery problems relates to the provision of water. Lack of water hinders all forms of development that may occur in the area.
Progress
Tremendous work has been done in the implementation of the Mabaso Housing Projects. Let me from the onset commend the leadership, the Mabaso Traditional Council, coordinating community structures, the Izinduna and all the development committees that have played a role in the implementation of the Mabaso Housing.
Let us applaud ourselves for such a sterling job. This is the work of the nation. While there is sufficient progress on this project but some key challenges still lie ahead. Some of these challenges are manmade. We are consistent in our approach in addressing issues facing our people on day to day basis. We have to applaud ourselves for being part of this important development that makes dreams come true as contained in our Freedom Charter - that there will be shelter for all. But this is not enough and there is more work to be done.
Some of the key challenges
The participation of the local municipality, Umhlabuyalingana.
The municipality is one of the key and most important stakeholders in the provision of housing delivery and other service delivery issues in any area in the Republic of South Africa regardless of who leads that municipality. This is an important constitutional provision.
The participation and involvement of the municipality is therefore of paramount importance. The report in our possession is that the municipality is not part or does not attend the scheduled monthly stakeholder meetings (site and technical). This poses a threat to the development of the people. Our firm belief is that we should all have keen interest in this stakeholder meeting to be able to deal with any issues emanating from the day to day activities and operations of this critical development.
There is a report of non-participation of the municipality. One of the reports in our possession is that some people have not been given houses on the basis of their political affiliation. This has occurred on the Southern Side, Odondweni-Hlulabantu side. The report is that these are fundamentally members of the African National Congress.
This is not acceptable. We are in possession of the list of people with the kind of allegations and appropriate action is being undertaken to investigate and rectify this situation. We do encourage our people to come forward and report such incidents. We would want to address these issues as matter of urgency and we have no time to be wasted. We all know time is money.
I want to be clear to everyone, this is people’s development and anything that hinders or misdirects this development will be dealt with accordingly. There is substantial evidence that point to the fact that the people of this area are poor and unemployed as well perpetual lack of service delivery like water and electricity. As such there is no space or whatsoever that opens up for individuals at any level or rank to do anything contrary to this development.
Development has neither colours nor boundaries. We pride ourselves for having a government that cares for people. Let us also emphasise the fact that it would be important for all the coordinating structures and stakeholders to work together in the delivery of these houses.
Today am also launching the Installation of the Water Harvesting Facilities, the Water Tanks here in Umkhanyakude. The Department of Human Settlements has committed to deliver proper human settlements; as such we will be providing water to rural communities all over the province. We cannot have a situation where people have little or no access to water for daily needs of cooking, washing and cleaning.
Water is a basic necessity and due to the typography of KZN, being mostly rural and hilly it is difficult and costly to install the infrastructure required to provide running water to all homes. As an intervention the department of human settlements will make available water tanks to a number of projects at a cost of R150 million to the department.
A total number of 52 027 homes in the province will receive the water tanks. The department has signed a contract with the National Home Builders Registration Council for the procurement and installation of the water tanks to the following municipalities. There are two projects in Umhlabuyalinga, 4 500 houses. The department is excited to start the installation for the residents of Umkhanyakude in this new financial year.
The department appeals to the home owners to take care of the water tank when they receive it. This will enable the home owner to harvest the rains and store it in the tank. In times of drought some municipalities will provide water to fill the tanks thereby making life easier for the family, so that people will not have to travel far to collect water from communal taps, rivers etc.
As the Department of Human Settlements we will honour the sentiment articulated in the Freedom Charter that states, “There shall be Houses, Security and Comfort.” We want to also ensure that the homes provided are of good quality. We want to ensure that our people get the best value for money. Being poor does not translate into being the recipient of poor quality and poor service.
I thank you.
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Human Settlement
