Housing in Southern Africa June 2016

News

DOHS under pressure The Democ rat i c A l l i ance’s Shadow Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Tandeka Gqaba says that in July 2014, government promised to have a credible Housing Demand database that would assist municipalities in the allocation of fully subsidised state housing.

S o far this has not happened. Gqaba says, “Beneficiaries only become aware they donot have a say in the construction of their asset. We continue to treat people as passive recipients of government services. This has to change.” Provinces, such as the Free State and Northern Cape are spending as- tronomical amounts, some as high as R700 000, on repairs to a house.

“We also need to review the quali- fying income band for Breaking New Ground housing as well as Social Housing and Institutional subsidies.” A cco r d i ng t o Gqaba , mo s t municipalities have not planned for upgrades of informal settlements. Another issue includes land ac- quisition, which forms part of the Strategic Plan Priorities, and there has been nomunicipal budgeting for this. In some areas this function is not within the control of the Department Manenberg housing project of Human Settlements. According to the Department there is a backlog of 900 000 title deeds that still have to be completed. In KwaZulu-Natal the existing backlog does not reflect the backlog. It is clear that this important task is not being taken seriously. Kevin Mileham, Shadow Minister of Cooperative Governance and Tra- ditional Affairs says that the City of

Cape Town is leading themunicipality when it comes rolling out title deeds to state housing beneficiaries. Nelson Mandela Bay Metro lags behind with 50 934 outstanding title deeds, and Johannesburg has over 220 000 home owners waiting for title deeds as the land still has to be approved as a townshipbefore the title deedprocess can be concluded. ■ fencing has been provided for. “In addition, we are engaging with local leaders in the area in an attempt to mobilise the community behind the project.” Van Minnen says that a unique feature of this project is the mural initiative. Unemployed young people are participating in mosaic art train- ing, which is currently underway. “The four-month training project aims to provide unemployed youth with an opportunity to learn a skill so that they can create opportunities for themselves.” The large-scale murals will be displayed on buildings and houses that look onto Govan Mbeki Drive. The murals will celebrate Manen- berg’s heritage. ■

T he City of Cape Town’s

being rolled out. The all-women project steering committee will oversee the construction of 587 subsidised units. The project is due for completion by 2019. According to the city’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Set- tlements, Benedicta van Minnen, “This area is incredibly volatile, largely as a result of the high levels of gangsterism and drug-related crime. It is therefore not a simple task of building subsidised units. “We are fully aware that we will face some uphill battles in this area.” She adds that additional safety measures will be put in place, includ- ing the employment of a local neigh- bourhoodwatch. In an effort to secure the site, the erection of perimeter

R120 million Manenberg infill housing project is currently

June 2016