Deputy Minister Zou Kota-Fredericks: Human Settlements Dept Budget Vote NCOP 2018/19

Deputy Minister Zou Kota-Fredericks, MP, Policy Debate on Budget Vote 38, NCOP

Chairperson
Minister of Human Settlements, Hon Nomaindia Mfeketo
Chairperson of the Select Committee on Social Services, Han Landulile Dlamini
MEG's
Honourable Members of the NCOP All honoured guests
Team Human Settlements led by the Director-General, Mr Mbulelo Tshangana.

I greet you all in the spirit of youth of 1976 and that of Mama Albertina Sisulu and Tata Nelson Mandela.

Chairperson allow me to convey my condolences to the family who have lost five [5] children in Philippi through a shack fire. The kids ages were ranging from 1yr old twins to 12 yr old, May their souls rest in peace.

Tragedies like these are a reminder of what Tata Madiba has said [when you've climbed the hill you realise that there are many more hills to climb].

Last month we visited and engaged with the people of Roodewaal and surrounding areas in Worcester and Wittewater in the West coast, in all these areas our people are complaining about the pace of service delivery or non- delivery of Human Settlements projects.

This Chairperson has a negative impact in their sustainable livelihood. These go against the grain of this government of bringing back the dignity of our people. We will be meeting with the province and municipalities in order to take up the issues raised.

According to the annual report of the Estate Affairs Agency Board  [EAAB] less than 5% of Real Estates agents are black. This is a R7.4 trillion industry in South Africa. Africans earn 2% of the commission paid. This indicates in no uncertain terms that the industry needs to be transformed.

We have the One Learner, One Estate Agency programme run by EAAB, it is not gaining momentum. It is important that more is done with those agencies which have shown keen interest in transforming this industry such as Remax, Broll and others. Broll has signed an MOU with EAAB to train our Youth Brigades on Real Estate and facility management.

Let me also congratulate Temi and Ramko for winning the Best Youth owned Construction Projects in youth category. The former won as an established contractor and the latter as emerging contractor at the Govan Mbeki Human Settlements Awards.

Let me salute women of SAWIC for leaving the comfort of their homes and camp in Sokhulumi Village for the last three [3] yrs.

Chairperson these women have recently completed the project of five hundred [500] units allocated to them, in this process they have established six [6] women owned Co- operatives.

During the handover of these houses, I was accompanied by the Gauteng MEC on Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs Hon Dikgang Uhuru Moiloa and Nkosi Mkhambi Mahlangu.

SAWIC handed over eight [8] vehicles to the Co-operatives at the end of the project. The same project won the Merit Award for the best Rural Housing Project for National and Provincial Govan Mbeki Human Settlements Awards.

There are three hundred [300] units built by SAWIC as part of the 1956 housing units allocation. In this project there are nineteen [19] Women Owned Construction Business Co-operatives. This project is at Olivenhoutbosch and Orchards.

Provinces are resisting the allocation of 1956 units to women. It is a real battle. That is why we welcome the formation of the CFO’s Forum. It will assist in monitoring the Provinces on the empowerment of women and youth.

Chairperson this year has been a very special year to women in the built environment. As 30% is now in Division of Revenue Act [DORA] that is why the issue of implementation is going to be critical.

Houses can never be the responsibility of government alone that is why we must continue to seek partnerships. We need to work with private sector, NGO’S, CBO’s, religious bodies and beneficiaries. All hands on deck. Thuma mina volunteers of the President now is the time.

It is in this regard that I am happy to announce that we will be starting with the construction and renovations of a house of the stalwart uMama Caroline Dunga in partnership with Old Mutual. This relationship with Old Mutual we hope it will grow from strength to strength. As we have similar requests from all over South Africa.

People who are at the centre of renovating and constructing these houses of vulnerable people are women and the youth. This augurs well with participation of women in construction as we speak it is growing day by day.

Women are increasingly showing boldness and interest in other areas of Human Settlements value chain. These are green building, infrastructure, financing, material supply, property development and management.

Chairperson the Department has spent over 4 billion on projects allocated to women owned enterprises from the Human Settlement Development Grant. Therefore we will be visiting provinces to see these projects whether they are there in reality.

As we celebrate the 100 years of our stalwarts, this year we will host leadership camp in partnership with Robben Island Museum,  Drakenstein  Correctional  Services  and  the Mthatha Arts Academy. This is in honour of Tata Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela.

This will be attended by learners from the Western Cape and Eastern Cape between 02 to 08 July 2018.

In paying tribute to uMama Albertina Nontsikelelo Sisulu as well as commemorating all women stalwarts.

We will host the women in Human Settlements Indaba in Gauteng during the month of August. We will also launch a woman in Human Settlements book. We hope that this book will also touch the issue of housing backlog.

Chairperson I worked with Deputy Minister Godfrey Oliphant on distress mining towns, this is in Northern Cape in Heuningvlei. This was a joint operation of the Department of Minerals and  Energy and Department of Human Settlements. Twenty two [22] houses were identified. HDA was chosen as an implementing agent. 

Money for construction came from Gencko and the project was in Joe  Morolong Municipality. Kgosi Bareki, the Mayor and the community were excited on the handover of 22 houses.

Chairperson myself, the Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance, Mr Andries Nel and the Director-General Mr Mbulelo Tshangana led a delegation to the 9th session of World Urban  Forum. That took place from 7th to 13th February 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The theme of the forum was Cities 2030, Cities for all; Implementing new Urban Agenda’.

We continue to make a call to Provinces that Youth contractors are allocated one thousand nine hundred and seventy six units per Province to commemorate the sacrifices made by the Youth in 1976.

In commemorating Youth month, we will also be handing over a house to Gogo Betty Nkabinde born in 1916.Hounarable members this house was built by an emerging Youth contractor after  realising the hardship facing by Gogo and her family who are staying in Kwa-Mhlanga, Mpumalanga.

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