Housing in Southern Africa September 2015

Housing

Lindiwe Sisulu and Zou Kota Fredericks

Winners

Best Priority Project Zanemvula Chetty 1380, Eastern Cape Best Integrated Residential Development Kwanokuthula, Western Cape Best Rural Project Dutywa, Eastern Cape Best Peoples’ Housing Process Project Mafikeng 200, North West Best Accredited Municipality Level 1 Category B Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Best Accredited Municipality Level 2 Category C Umhlathuze Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Best Accredited Municipality Level 2 Category C ZF Mgcawu District Municipality, Northern Cape Best Informal Settlement Upgraded Project Railtonsmartie Town Project Best Social Housing Fairview Link, Eastern Cape Best Institutional Units Harmony Village, Western Cape Best Community Residential Units Kewtown, Western Cape Best Finance Linked Subsidy Project Fleurhof, Gauteng Best Women Contractor Kanna Park Ext 3,4,5, Gauteng Best Youth Contractor Madimong Trading Services, North West Best Contractor Project in the Non- Subsidy Market Agisane Civil Construction, Northern Cape Best Metropolitian Municipality Ethekwini, KwaZulu-Natal Best Provincial Department in Performance Delivery

spheres. We will explain our plans in detail, especially around the catalytic projects. These projects will be rolled out from the end of September 2015 and contracts will have specific time- frames attached to them. Contractors will be penalised for every day they go over the deadline.” “Our intention is to ensure that whatever work is assigned is sup- ported by a proper administrative environment. We need to emphasise at the Developers Conference that we will also need an undertaking from contractors that they will stick to the timeframes agreed upon in their contracts and that they will provide quality work.” “We will start training 200 youths in theWestern Cape towork on theN2 Gateway Project and in the Eastern Cape as part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro’s housing projects.” “We have established a war room, which amongst other things will track every human settlements project across the country. We will ensure

thank themfor being the light, even in our darkest days. We hope they may be an example to others.” The Minister awarded Life Time Achievement Awards and also prom- ised to prioritise housing for military veterans. “We met with the Deputy Ministers of Military Veterans andwith various veterans in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. We will complete more than 5 000 houses for military veterans, who are on our database, in this current financial year.” The Military Veterans Housing Programme will become a national Ministerial programme. It will be coordinated by the Deputy Minister of Human Settlements as a national project. Resources for the project will be ring-fenced and the military veterans themselves will appoint a national task team, who will work closely with the Deputy Minister of Human Settlements. Sisulu notes, “It is my intention that by March 2016 all military veterans onour databasewill be housed.” The success-

that where prov- inces or metros are unable to use all the resourc- es allocated to them, that these resources be re- allocated and we will not allow any rollovers or any

‘Our intention is to ensure that whatever work is assigned, it is supported by a proper administrative environment.’

ful contractor will need towork seven days a week, “We have promised that this project will be completed within a year.

under spending.” “Our 2015 Govan Mbeki Award winners and runners up have put in that extra effort and showed care and compassion in their work, pushed boundaries and least of all, enjoyed the journey and reaped the results. Our nation is endowed with great human beings who, if they can pull harder together, will out-do our de- tractors. So, in a practical sense, we need a change of mind and a change of heart to rise to the higher levels of human success,” concluded Sisulu. ■

Contractors will sub-contract military veterans towork on their own houses wherever possible.” “Last year we had a very success- ful Human Settlements Indaba and most stakeholders signed the Social Contract. It evoked great expecta- tions fromour people andwe have an obligation to work tirelessly to meet their need for shelter. Next month we will be hosting a Developers Confer- ence tohear fromthemwhat impedes housing delivery, the challenges ex- perienced from all three government

KwaZulu-Natal Merit Awards

Best Bursary Student Mngomezulu Halala, KwaZulu-Natal Rental Housing Tribunal Gauteng FarmWorker Assistance Project Jabulani Agri Village, Mpumalanga

September 2015