Parliament, Thursday, 9 February 2023 – The Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements is concerned by the slow pace of transformation of apartheid urban spatial design, which has led to the entrenchment of challenges created by apartheid that primarily affect the majority African population. The committee received an update from the Department of Human Settlements on progress in implementing the Priority Human Settlements and Housing Development Areas plan.
“While we welcome the good intentions of the plan, the reality is that implementation is hampered by low investments into these priority human settlements housing development areas by our government. The continued low investments by government will not incentivise the private sector to also contribute in changing the landscape of our urban design, which will negatively impact the drive towards inclusive growth anchored on communities having access to quality human settlements closer to work opportunities,” said Ms Machwene Semenya, the Chairperson of the committee.
The committee highlighted that it is unacceptable that the cooperation between various sister government departments is only now starting to take shape in delivering coordinated infrastructure development. The committee has urged the Department of Human Settlements as the lead department to ensure coordination and an efficient monitoring and reporting system to ensure that there are no gaps in implementation of the plan.
It is also necessary to enhance regulation of the private sector to ensure that spatial development in inner cities is not neglected in favour of exclusive gated communities, as this has the effect of allowing the private sector to dictate where bulk infrastructure is developed. The committee has also called for provincial and local budgets to be reflective of the drive to develop inclusive human settlements in identified nodal points.
Meanwhile, the committee welcomed the intention to enhance cooperation between various levels of government, especially municipalities, to reclaim hijacked buildings in inner cities as a basis for inclusive infrastructure development.
The committee also cautioned the department to look holistically at issues that might impact on the drive to implement the inclusive communities’ model, including high levies and taxes that might act as a barrier to people living within those communities in the inner city.
Regarding the title deeds restoration programme, the committee still considers it unacceptable that 1 193 222 title deeds still need to be given to beneficiaries. While the committee welcomes the intention to tie the title deed to the development of a site, the funding made available for the programme remains inadequate and must be addressed. The committee has also called for an alignment in internal institutional capacities at province level to drive the programme and ensure targets are achieved.
The committee has committed itself to receiving periodic updates on both programmes, as they are at the centre of transforming South Africa’s human settlements.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS. MS MACHWENE SEMENYA.
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