Parliament, Wednesday, 18 March 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements has welcomed the general progress made within the human settlements portfolio in implementing audit action plans identified by the Auditor-General of South Africa during the 2024/25 financial year.
While noting that the progress is both commendable and tangible, the committee emphasised that the ultimate measure of success remains the delivery of quality services to the people of South Africa.
The committee Chairperson, Mr Nocks Seabi, stated: “The progress is commendable and shows that the department and its entities have taken seriously the recommendations to improve governance and financial management. However, clean audits on their own are meaningless if they do not translate into improved service delivery. The department and its entities must therefore intensify service delivery interventions.”
The committee welcomed progress reported by the Department of Human Settlements, where of the 21 matters identified by the Auditor-General, five have been resolved, six are at an advanced stage of completion, and the remainder are being addressed with a target of completion by the end of the financial year. Improvements in procurement reporting for disaster response programmes were particularly noted, including weekly reporting to the National Treasury.
The committee reiterated the importance of the Emergency Response Programme as a critical intervention during times of urgent need and stressed that its governance and efficiency must meet the highest standards. Progress on the department’s organisational micro-structure review, currently at 60% completion, was also welcomed. The committee emphasised that a fit-for-purpose structure is essential for effective service delivery and called for the process to be finalised without delay.
However, the committee expressed concern over the lack of system integration between the Department of Human Settlements and the Department of Home Affairs, which limits the ability to verify emergency housing beneficiaries. The committee highlighted the need for improved data sharing across government to enhance planning and accountability.
At the National Housing Finance Corporation, the committee welcomed steps to strengthen leadership capacity, including the appointment of senior executives. Improvements to the First Home Finance division were also noted as critical to expanding access to housing opportunities.
The committee further commended the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority for improved governance and the elimination of fruitless and wasteful expenditure in the current financial year, attributing this to strengthened consequence management and leadership stability.
Progress at the Community Schemes Ombud Service was acknowledged, with implementation of audit remedial measures increasing to 73%. The committee urged the entity to expedite the appointment of key executives to ensure effective delivery on its mandate.
The Housing Development Agency was encouraged to accelerate progress in resolving outstanding audit findings. The committee welcomed initiatives such as Operation Clean Audit and emphasised the importance of translating audit improvements into tangible service delivery outcomes.
The committee reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing oversight of the implementation of audit action plans, stressing that sound governance and financial management are essential foundations for delivering quality housing services to all South Africans.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, MR NOCKS SEABI
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Malatswa Molepo (Mr)
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour