18 July 2007
The doors of the Ministry of Housing were open to all reasonable people
wishing to contribute to creating an environment for better living conditions
for all, especially people who are conscious of the fact that there are 2,2
million families still living in abject poverty.
This what Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said today in response to a memorandum
delivered to Parliament by tenants of the N2 Gateway Pilot Project.
The basis of the housing policy was to create options for all based on
affordability. Government gave free houses for those people earning below R3
000 per month, gave subsidised rentals to those who could afford to rent and
subsidised credit to those wishing to get a bond.
These are options that government had put a lot of effort into, to ensure
South Africans could choose the right options for themselves. Government
subsidises each category.
The people currently occupying phase 1 of the N2 Gateway Pilot Project at
Joe Slovo opted for the option of rental. They were means tested to ensure
that, indeed, they could pay the rent they claimed they could pay. They were
chosen from 8 000 applicants and given the privilege of living in conditions
that this country has not been able to provide for disadvantaged people.
Great effort was expended ensuring that decent living conditions, security
and environmentally pleasant surroundings could be created where once there was
a slum.
The people of Joe Slovo phase 1 are pioneers of this project. They received
extensive workshops, because absolutely central to the new policy is the
concept of responsibility. Responsibility to ensure that each citizen plays his
or her part in creating those conditions that will provide them with a better
life.
People who are renting have a responsibility to ensure that they pay their
rent. If they are indeed unable to pay rent it means they have misled us
because they do not qualify for this specific category of housing. It means
they qualify for free government housing.
It would suggest they deliberately misled government to jump the queue. A
great many people in our country have been waiting very patiently for years to
receive a house. Queue jumping therefore is a level of dishonesty that should
not be acceptable to any of us.
These patient citizens of our country would want to see that we protect
them. They would like to see that we are even handed.
Citizens of Langa, who have had to wait for free housing, have been patient
while we gave first preference to rental stock and they are waiting to see that
they are protected against underhanded means of accessing housing.
I would like to think the residents of Joe Slovo phase 1 understand the
responsibility on their shoulders. It is a huge responsibility towards setting
the tone for responsible citizenry.
If the people of Joe Slovo phase 1 would like to discuss matters in relation
to their rentals and they are committed to pay, that is a reasonable request to
make. I, however, do not understand why they would take such an aggressive
anti-government position to put this request across, especially as in the last
two months the MEC has taken time to discuss their concerns and reassure them
that our doors remain open.
For more information please call:
Ndivhuwo Mabaya
Cell: 083 645 7838
Issued by: Ministry of Housing
18 July 2007
Source: Department of Housing (http://www.labour.gov.za/)
