Housing plan

housing plan



the provincial housing department has embarked on a strategic plan which could result in the sacking of project managers and abandoning of unfinished housing projects in the province.

the aim of the plan is to bring about an overhaul of housing delivery in the eastern cape.

housing department mec thokozile xasa detailed the plan during the govan mbeki housing awards at the queenstown indoor sports centre recently.

also present was president thabo mbeki’s mother, epainette nomaka mbeki, and family members.

xasa said the province had been faced with huge backlogs, which resulted in millions of rands being returned, unspent, to the national treasury.

the plan, which sees the provincial housing and local government department split into two spheres, with housing run as a separate department by nandipha sishuba, includes the sacking of underperforming project managers, disposing of sluggish contractors, abandoning of unfinished projects and building capacity for partners in housing delivery.

“this is an acknowledgement that we are not doing well when it comes to housing.”

she said the department had been tasked with delivering houses to the masses.

“we do have backlogs…and we won’t reach the target (2015 millennium goals) in the province.”

the province has been singled out as the only province falling behind in housing delivery in south africa.

“the housing situation (paints) a bad picture of the province… drastic measures had to be taken.”

she said contracts with underperforming project managers would not be renewed. “underperforming project managers will have to go, unfinished projects in some municipalities will be abandoned and capacity-building has to take place.”

there had been problems with procurement decision- making areas, where payment of contractors was slow.

the national department had intervened to ensure delivery. “people were promised houses…and with the help of the national team we’ll turn around this situation in the province.”

“(this is)…a critical time in our democracy…former president nelson mandela and the late govan mbeki are associated with excellence and they delivered. in our time we also want that excellence.”

lukhanji municipality executive mayor mzwabantu dapula said he hoped the handing over of awards to recipients would reflect the realities of housing delivery in the province.

“too many people live in sub-standard houses, some live in backyards while others continue to rent. this is unacceptable.”