Six months ago Local Government and Housing Minister Marius Fransman took over a department that faced many challenges. These included under expenditure of the budget by R141 million, increasing number of informal settlements, an overall housing backlog of 320 000, lack of discipline within the department's administration and a lack of management and implementation tools.

Since then Minister Fransman has embarked on a strategy that will ensure that all the allocated money has been spent, fast tracking housing delivery through the R587m budget allocation, ensuring quality houses, unblocking blocked housing projects, developing a Comprehensive Housing Plan, conducting a Land Audit to identify available land for housing delivery, creating jobs and fighting poverty through housing delivery, convene a Women in Construction Conference and the Awards of Excellence in the delivery of houses.

The short to medium term strategy focused on establishing monitoring and implementation strategies, categorizing housing projects between Category A: Housing Projects that were approved and were being built, Category B: Housing Projects that were in the approval process and Category C: Housing Projects that were planned projects. He prioritized that nothing slows down the pace of housing projects.

This is what has been achieved over the past six months:

• Doubled budget expenditure for the Department of Housing by 100% over the past six months. Last year over the same period the Department of Housing had spent R84m (19,8% of total budget of R423m) of its budget allocation. This year this department has spent R165m).
• The department has committed itself to spend all its budget allocation
• Has built 4 045 houses over the past six months
• Has developed and serviced 10 813 sites in order to create housing opportunities
• Has clear plans to build 14 542 houses and develop and service 16 647 sites over this financial year to create more housing opportunities
• Plans to create 2 423 jobs during this financial year
• Transfer of skills to 3 342 people who will be trained through Extended Public Works Programme
• Has employed additional Project Managers who will perform a range of duties such as updating municipal housing plans, engineering and construction queries, assisting with project approval, ensuring that implementation is stepped up and reporting to Minister Fransman's project monitors
• Has unblocked 15 of the 29 blocked housing projects leading to 2 105 family unit being created for new families. 95% of municipalities have housing projects approved and in implementation stage.
  Last year this time far fewer municipalities had active projects.
• Systems have been put in place to ensure speedy deliver of houses over the next six months.
• Organised a Councillors Summit where he met with Western Cape Mayors, Municipal Managers and councilors in order to discuss issues pertaining to housing delivery.
• Had community engagements through Imbizos and community meetings during the MIG cheque handovers
• Has met with community leaders and councilors to look at the delivery of houses thus strengthening relationships with communities
• Housing is a standing item at all Provincial Advisory Forum meetings that are attended by Mayors and Municipal Managers
• All departmental funds have been committed to housing projects already
• Started a clean up of the administration to ensure speedy delivery of houses and compliance to policies.
• Embarked on a Letsema Programme to build houses in Rietpoort, Khayelitsha and Worcester.
• N2 Housing Strategy that will be implemented next year has been approved. This strategy will accommodate 12 000 families in decent housing units. The District Six project involved in this Strategy will also see 4 000 families getting houses.
• No backlogs in Housing Project applications
• The collapsing of subsidy bends will help families who have struggled to contribute R2 479. Families earning between zero and R1 500 willl receive a complete housing subsidy, between R1 500 and R3 500 will get a full subsidy but make a sweat equity contribution and those earning between R3 500 and R 7000 receive a 5% of the customary 10% deposit required by banks for buying houses.

The Western Cape Department of Housing has made a break in prioritizing housing and plans to ensure total expenditure of the budget will be maintained.

Magnus M. De Jongh
Senior Communications Officer
Ministry of Local Government and Housing
Western Cape
Tel: 021 483 4249
Fax: 021 483 3888
Cell: 083 290 3898