Housing report to the Portfolio Committee on the 15th January 2008

The municipality has for the past 10 years managed and implemented 2 housing projects

Both of these projects are at the ‘urban areas’ in Flagstaff and Lusikisiki◦ Joe Slovo settlement in Lusikisiki-1117 units ◦ Thabo Mbeki settlement in flagstaff-503 units

Two rural housing projects implemented by O.R. Tambo District Municipality ◦ Mantlaneni ward 2-300 units ◦ Nkozo ward 4-300 units

Joe Slovo settlements-1117 units◦ Approved in 1999 under the Lusikisiki TLC◦ 1111 units have been completed and 6 others

have various problems including slope, land invasion and encroachment of the nearby school

◦ Roads were constructed◦ Sanitation system is pit latrine ◦ Water is available in some areas of the project ◦ Local municipality has provided 5 stand pipes

servicing 500 households ◦ No electricity

Joe Slovo……◦ Transfers have not been stated due to township

validity problems ◦ The matter is under investigation by the Special

Investigation Unit (SIU) Challenges

◦ The issue of title deeds for beneficiaries remains a major challenge

◦ Management and processing of beneficiaries is also a challenge because many houses are currently occupied by persons who are not necessarily the approved beneficiaries

Challenges ◦ The Township validity has since expired and as

such a new process of Township establishment has to be done and the municipality has no funds for that.

◦ It may also include a process of relocating the beacons which is costly and once more the municipality does not have funds for this.

Thabo Mbeki settlement ◦ Approved in 1998 under Flagstaff TLC and

implementation started in 2000◦ Project very slow; 10 years on and yet not close to

completion ◦ Declared ‘blocked’ by the Provincial Government

in 2003/04◦ At the time the Municipality was under section

139 of the Constitution

Thabo Mbeki ◦ 258 units completed albeit with serious defects as

a result of poor monitoring and poor workmanship◦ 245 units still outstanding ◦ The municipality has made attempts to get

provincial intervention to resolve the problems ◦ Municipality has little information because file

were seized as part of the SIU investigation ◦ Still waiting for NHBRC report for rectification

process

Thabo Mbeki-services ◦ Gravel roads were constructed and have since

degenerated ◦ Water pipes were laid but not used and have

degenerated ◦ Sanitation was designed for septic tanks and

holes were dug but no septic tanks were buried◦ The holes for septic tank are dangerous ◦ No electricity

Thabo Mbeki-challenges ◦ Transfers not yet done ◦ 24 houses affected by storm on July 2007 and

reported to the Provincial government but not yet attended to

◦ Sanitation a health hazard ◦ Township establishment problems ◦ Support from the province not entirely

coordinated ◦ Communication between the Municipality and the

Department needs to improve

Nkozo (300)◦ 195 units completed ◦ 40 on roof◦ 15 on wall plate ◦ 46 at slab

Challenges ◦ Access to material is a huge challenge in terms of

cost ◦ Delivery to the rural area because of roads that are

sometimes not designed to carry heavy load vehicles and at times roads are generally not good.

◦ Access to water for construction is also a challenge.◦ Poorly organises building teams and high level of

turn over of technical staff (project coordinators) ◦ Topography on the project site is not easily

accessible ◦ Security of material is sometimes a challenge

Progress ◦ 88 units completed ◦ 2 on roof ◦ 14 wall plate ◦ 10 at slab ◦ 183 still outstanding

Challenges ◦ Access to material is a huge challenge in terms of

cost ◦ Delivery to rural areas because of roads ◦ Access to water for construction ◦ Poorly organised building teams ◦ Topography of the construction site◦ Security of building material

Communication with the Provincial department for the construction of 11 units started by Minister and Members

Formal correspondence expressing concern on the slow pace of implementation

Arranged a meeting with the survey and planning directorate to assist in Town Planning and Survey matters

Obtained engineering designs from the consultant

Reviewal of the HSP with the assistance of the department

Improve communication and support from the province and the District

Look at finance administration problems between the municipality and the Department

Municipality would love to be prioritised in terms of the BNG projects

Support from both Provincial and National department in relation to developing housing market for the middle income earners

Subsidy allocation for rural housing remains a matter that needs careful consideration noting the problem of cost of transport to rural areas that eats up the subsidy for building a descent house