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13 years later, Inxiweni residents continue to suffer without title deeds

The residents of Inxiweni RDP houses in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, continue to suffer without the security of tenure as the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements delays in issuing them with title deeds.

The rightful beneficiaries of Inxiweni RDP housing units were allocated to their houses in 2009 and to date, they have not yet been issued with title deeds.

This has severely affected the residents as they do not have any documents to use as evidence of proof of ownership of the housing units that they live in.

This information was revealed to the DA during an oversight inspection in the area.

In some cases, the rightful beneficiaries have since passed away, and they left their children and grandchildren who are living in fear as they do not have any documents to prove that their spouse owns the property.

Some residents claim that the previous ANC-led Ekurhuleni government informed them that these housing units belong to the municipality, not the rightful beneficiaries.

Please see the images here, here, and here. 

Delays in issuing these rightful beneficiaries with title deeds opens the system to corruption as some beneficiaries claim that they have been issued with new house numbers that are different from the initial numbers that they were given when they were allocated into these housing units.

The DA will be directly engaging with the Gauteng MEC of Human Settlement and Infrastructure, Lebohang Maile, to ascertain why the rightful beneficiaries of these housing units have not yet been issued with title deeds. The ANC government needs to understand that every title deed delayed is dignity denied to the residents of this province and the DA will write to the Public Protector, Kholeka Gcaleka to request her to investigate the matter.

Title deeds play an integral part in redressing the injustices of the past and empowering families for generations to come.

We will continue to demand that MEC Maile’s department must issue title deeds to these beneficiaries as they are being denied the security of tenure. Where the DA governs in municipalities across the province, we ensure that all the beneficiaries of housing projects are issued with title deeds so that they can have full ownership of their properties for the benefit of their families.

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Gauteng Human Settlements budget reduced by R600 million while residents are desperate for dignified housing

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng notes with great concern that the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements budget has been slashed by R600 million in the 2020/21 financial year.

This information was revealed in the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements’ adjusted budget report for the 2020/21 financial year.

The department’s budget has been drastically reduced from R5.7 billion to R5.1 billion because of a reduction of R598.2 million in conditional grants.

This includes R490,5 million from the Human Settlements Development Grant and R107.7 million from the Title Deeds Restoration Grant which has been surrendered to the Provincial Revenue Fund to be used for combating the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This budget reduction will have a severe impact on the department’s annual performance target plans such as Programme Three: Housing Development. The initial planned target with regards to the number of FLISP housing subsidies was 1000 and will be reduced to 100.

The number of non-credit linked individual disbursements to qualifying beneficiaries has been decreased from 270 to 200.

The number of hostels that will be redeveloped into family units has also decreased from 5 to 4 which will be one hostel in the City of Ekurhuleni and three hostels in the City of Johannesburg.

It is worrying that funds have been taken away from Housing Development while this province is facing a major housing crisis. The housing waiting list has exceeded a million, yet money has been taken away from this department.

This is unacceptable and clearly indicates that the ANC-led Gauteng Provincial Government cares little about ensuring that our people have access to adequate housing.

It is high time that government prioritises the delivery of dignified housing to our people who are living in unsanitary and congested areas to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The DA will closely monitor how this department spends its adjusted budget as this department has a reputation of failing to spend its allocated budget.

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DA calls on MEC Moiloa to fix poorly built RDP houses

by Mervyn Cirota MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements

The DA calls on the Gauteng Human Settlements and COGTA MEC, Uhuru Moiloa to prioritize fixing poorly built RDP houses across the province.

During our oversight inspection to RDP houses in Sonderwater, in the Emfuleni Local Municipality, we discovered that they are poorly built and have major structural damage.

The walls are cracked, and there are water leakages and problems with the sewage system due to shoddy workmanship. Most of the houses are not plastered inside and the ceilings are damaged.

The residents claim that the non-functional sewage system is affecting the functioning of their toilet system, while some residents have stopped using their toilets and have resorted to using neighbours’ toilets.

These houses are not electrified and there are no proper roads.

This is one of many RDP housing projects across the province that have been poorly built and left incomplete.
This project has been left incomplete for the past 7 years; it began in 2011 and was expected to include 935 RDP houses, however 107 houses are still outstanding.

This indicates the inability of the ANC-led Gauteng government in delivering adequate and dignified housing to our poor people.

The DA proposes that the Department conduct a forensic investigation to determine the cause of this mess across the province, in order to come up with a long-term solution to ensure that RDP houses are properly built.

We also call on the MEC to put proper measures in place to monitor the construction of these projects to ensure that the RDP houses are built properly and delivered timeously and within budget.

Under a DA-led government the people of Gauteng will be afforded the dignity of properly built houses. It is in the hands of the people of Gauteng to bring about much needed Change, so that their needs always come first.

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MEC Mashatile Must Explain Failure To Deliver Houses In Princess

Destruction of Property

The DA has today submitted questions to Gauteng Human Settlements MEC, Paul Mashatile, on the failure to deliver 380 homes in Ward 71, Princess, Johannesburg.

The MEC and the department of human settlements have for a number of years promised the community of Princess the delivery of houses with running water and electricity.

The unrest and destruction of property by the residents of Princess is condemned, however, their frustration and despair is understood.

Unfinished Projects in Gauteng

This provincial housing project has failed to deliver basic services and promised homes to the community of Princess.

The MEC must explain the reason for the delay not only in Princess, but across the many unfinished projects in Gauteng.

Immediate intervention is needed as many families across the province are frustrated and will ultimately resort to protest action.

MEC Mashatile has a duty to ensure that all provincial housing projects are completed on time and delivered to communities as promised.

 

 

 

Media enquiries:

Mervyn Cirota MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Human Settlements

060 558 8312

[Image source]

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ANC MUST EXPLAIN WHY ONLY 59 OUT OF 150 INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS HAVE BEEN FORMALISED

In 2013, outgoing Mayor Ramokgopa promised in his State of the City Address that “The total eradication of informal settlements remains an important goal of our work during the current term of office. Our citizens deserve places of residence that are fully serviced with title deeds.”

And just yesterday, Thoko Didiza, the ANC’s lame duck mayoral candidate, reiterated this promise saying that replacing informal settlements is a priority for the party.

But truth is that since 2013, the number of informal settlements has only grown under the ANC. The ANC must explain their broken promises to formalise informal settlements.

According to City of Tshwane’s 2014-2105 Annual Report, only 59 of the 150 informal settlements identified in 2013 by the City’s “flagship” housing programme, Re Aga Tshwane, have been formalised. This is a mere 39% of the set target.

Since 2013, the number of informal settlements in Tshwane has in fact increased to 178. Among these informal settlements is Plastic view which recently burnt, killing five people and displacing roughly 1 500 residents.

Many informal settlements in Tshwane are without access to basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation.

According to the General Household Survey, Tshwane has the lowest percentage of households with access to a basic sanitation facility at 82% in comparison to 91.4% in Cape Town.

In 2015, Sputla yet again said the City would “accelerate the formalisation process through the Re Aga Tshwane programme”. But just like the rest of his promises, this pledge too lies broken and shattered.

Sputla was correct in saying that the people of the Capital deserve houses with title deeds. But the ANC government in Tshwane has failed to deliver.

Handing over title deeds is about more than giving people ownership of their homes; it is about expanding access to opportunity.

Title deeds allow people to be owners of their property, to have access to equity, to be part of this society and to prosper. Title deeds give people access to opportunity and to ability to improve their lives and the lives of their families.

Earlier this week the DA revealed that corruption and financial mismanagement in the Capital has cost its residents the equivalent of 32,153 RDP houses, while the housing backlog in Tshwane stood at over 120,000 according to the 2014/15 Gauteng Department of Human Settlement’s Annual Performance Plan.

For too long the people of the Capital have been let down by broken ANC promises.

The DA have committed to working hard to ensure that the delivery of title deeds in municipalities we govern is sped up so that more South Africans can own the properties where they live.

Where the DA governs, we are committed to ensuring the fair allocation of housing opportunities, and vitally, coupled with the issuance of title deeds.

In the past three years, the DA-run City of Cape Town has given 15 000 title deeds to make the poor the real owners of their own homes. This is more than any other metro in the country.

This is the change that only the DA can deliver, handing over title deeds as well as greater transparency and accountability in the awarding of RDP. This has been proved in the municipalities we govern.

This is the DA difference; this is the change the DA wants to bring to Tshwane in order to see it move forward again.

Together, on 3 August, we can bring change to Tshwane.

 

Media enquiries:

Motheo Mtimkulu

Media Manager: Tshwane Mayoral Campaign

083 728 0554

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Corruption and mismanagement cost the people of Tshwane 32,153 RDP houses

Note to the editor: The following remarks were made on oversight visits of incomplete and badly constructed RDP developments in Tshwane by DA Mayoral Candidate, Solly Msimanga, who was joined by Western Cape Minister for Human Settlements, Bonginkosi Madikizela DA MPL. 

The DA can reveal that while the housing backlog in Tshwane stood at over 120 000 according to the 2014/15 Gauteng Department of Human Settlement’s Annual Performance Plan, corruption and financial mismanagement in the Capital has cost its residents the equivalent of 32,153 RDP houses. This is a slap in the face of the thousands of people who are forced to go without houses as a result of an uncaring and dishonest ANC government in Tshwane.

The ANC in Tshwane has lost at least R4.18 billion to corruption and financial mismanagement in the two largest financial scandals to make headlines this year. This includes the City of Tshwane’s irregular PEU smart meter contract that cost taxpayers R2.3 billion, as identified by the auditor general earlier this year, as well as R1.88 billion was lost to in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful (UIFW) expenditure in the last financial year alone.

Moreover, the housing issue itself has been woefully mismanaged by the City of Tshwane and the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements. In a meeting of the Human Settlements Portfolio Committee in Parliament earlier this year it was revealed that R1.2 billion of the Human Settlements Development Grant was withheld from Gauteng due to consistent underspending.

This reflects a clear failure by the ANC government in Tshwane to correctly manage and prioritise the City’s finances and housing projects, and underscores the need to bring change to the Capital.

In order to address the housing crisis a DA government in Tshwane would:

  • Free up more money for housing by stopping corruption and cutting UIFW. To this end, UIFW expenditure will be cut by half my first year in office and reduce it to below R1 million over the course of the term with a view to eliminating it entirely.
  • Prioritise these funds toward service delivery projects, including housing, in order to increase the rate of delivery and housing allocation;
  • Ensure that all housing projects are professionally manged and that all money allocated for housing is spent; and
  • Eradicate the unfair and corrupt allocation of housing by ANC officials and ensure that house lists are managed fairly and transparently.

It is clear that the ANC in Tshwane have failed time and time again to put the interests of the people first. A DA government in Tshwane pledges to lead a DA government that will stop corruption, deliver better services and create jobs.

The DA’s track record in Cape Town shows that with the political willpower to do so, this can be done.

On 3 August vote for a clean government that puts the people of this city first.

[IMAGE SOURCE]

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Gauteng Desperately Needs A Forensic Investigation Into Housing Corruption

RDP Houses

Gauteng residents who applied for housing opportunities 15 years ago and were allocated houses still remain homeless.

This comes as news broke of corrupt officials, ward committee members, and rogue police officers in Winnie Mandela informal settlement, Ekurhuleni,  having misallocated stands and RDP houses causing beneficiaries to be ignored.

These houses are alleged to be illegally occupied by friends and colleagues of said officials.

Continuing Corrupt Practices

An investigation conducted into corrupt practices by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements in 2005 still remain unresolved.

The DA will write to Human Settlements MEC, Paul Mashatile, to request that he urgently conduct a provincial housing audit and launch a new investigation into corrupt practices.

Claims made by Gauteng residents of unjust and continuing corrupt practices cannot be ignored.

The MEC must verify these claims and follow up with the necessary remedial action.

Many residents have been robbed the opportunity to obtain keys to their homes and have waited far too long for the provincial department to step in.

Corruption has no place in a free, fair and democratic society. Fraudulent practices must be rooted out.

 

Media enquiries:

Mervyn Cirota MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Human Settlements

060 558 8312

[Image source]

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R1.5m A Year For Gauteng State House Used For Only 50 Meetings

Premier’s Official Residence – Bryanston

Gauteng Premier David Makhura has revealed that about 50 engagements and meetings were held last year at the Bryanston house that was formerly the official Premier’s residence.

Makhura says in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature that “the House is utilised principally for official business wherein the Premier engages with various sectors, stakeholders, departments, municipalities and foreign missions.”

But when asked for costs and the details of the events at the House, he says “there is really no need to provide such details” and “the cost for all official meetings is budgeted for by the Office of the Premier”.

This is an evasive reply and it looks like there is something to hide. I have therefore put in an application under the Promotion of Access to Information Act to get the details and costs of the meetings held at the house.

We know from previous official replies that annual costs of this house include the following:

Gardening:              R309 000

Cleaning:                 R300 000

Water and lights:      R227 000

Rates and taxes:      R195 000

RDP Houses

The total yearly cost together with the R500 000 maintenance cost in the latest budget means that this house costs at least R1.5 million a year. This money could build about 45 RDP houses.

Why is the Premier reluctant to give details on the 50 “engagements and meetings” at the house and what they cost?

It is surely more cost-effective to use the province-owned Emoyeni Conference Centre or a private venue as the annual cost of the Bryanston house works out to about R30 000 a meeting just as a venue.

Mbhazima Shilowa

Last year it was revealed that R4.2 million was spent on the house since May 2014 when Premier Makhura took the decision not to live there.

More than R20 million has been spent on its upkeep, including many refurbishments and repairs, since it was bought in March 2004 for R11.5 million for the use of then-Premier Mbhazima Shilowa.

Makhura says in his reply that “the future of this house will be considered, together with all non-core assets and fixed properties owned by the Gauteng government.”

My view is that its present use does not justify the cost and it should be sold as soon as possible.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Member of the Oversight Committee of the Office of the Premier and Legislature

082 333 4222

[Image source]

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Gauteng Needs More Housing And Less Promises

Gauteng Housing Backlog

Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements, Jacob Mamabolo, has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is failing to deliver on his mandate to handle the Gauteng housing backlog which now surpasses over 1 million.

In his political report for 2015 Gauteng Premier David Makhura, admitted to the shortcomings of the human settlements department in delivering housing opportunities for the residents in the province.

Under Mamobolo’s leadership, the human settlements department has cracked and failed to reach many of its priority targets and policies which include:

  • The non-delivery of RDP houses;
  • Inability to roll out in-situ upgrading programmes; and
  • The failure to consolidate social housing programmes as well as planning of the mega city.

Access to Basic Housing

The number of people living in shacks and informal dwellings has not reduced since 1994 and one in five residents in the City of Johannesburg still live in an informal settlement.

After 21 years of a democratic dispensation, residents in Alexandra, Dube, Diepkloof, Daveyton and Brandvlei to name a few, still struggle to access basic housing.

This is indicative of a disintegrating leadership that is completely out of touch.

Gauteng residents also still await the MEC’s promise to initiate an investigation into the R 2.6 billion in irregular expenditure incurred by his department.

Decent, Sustainable Housing

MEC Mamabolo lacks transparency and fails to be held accountable by the residents of Gauteng, thus corroding the public’s trust and hope for decent and sustainable housing.

The MEC must clean up his act and start exercising decisive leadership that will see the living conditions of the people improve.  It is high time that he deliver on his promised mandate before taking oath of office.

 

Media enquiries:

Mervyn Cirota MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Human Settlements

060 558 8312

[Image source]

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SPEECH BY MRS MICHELE CLARKE, MPL ON FREEDOM DAY MOTION DELIVERED IN THE GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE ON TUESDAY, 28 APRIL 2015

The MEC asked referring to the DA why we did not attend the President’s Freedom Day celebrations. MEC We would rather be working in our communities assisting them with service delivery issues for e.g. the community of Barcelona who still have no basic services after 21 years is that true freedom

Yesterday on the 27th April South Africans from all walks of life celebrated freedom day.  On this day 21 years ago, our nation participated in the first post-apartheid elections that heralded the dawn of truly, non-racist, non-sexist, all inclusive democracy.  It is always valuable, in fact it is critical that we reflect on the lives of the brave men and woman, through their selfless actions, delivered us unto a peaceful and democratic South Africa, ensuring that our freedom would be protected by one of the finest constitutions ever crafted.  Their efforts enabled South Africa to become a Country of opportunity and prosperity, allowing citizens to become the masters of their own destinies

Today, let us remember the contribution our beloved Tata Madiba made to ensure the freedom of our country.  21 years on, the colours of that rainbow dream has started to pale.  How free are we really under the current ANC Government?  It would appear that our alliances with freedom is slowly eroding.  A nation that was filled with hope and dreams of prosperity has been reduced to a grubby shadow of its former self.  Callous, barbaric attacks on our foreign brothers and sisters, bring back the haunting memories of violence that rocked the nation in the late 80’s and 90’s.  The actions of these opportunist criminals must be dealt with harshly.

High levels of unemployment, and a floundering economy has gouged the gulf of inequality ever wider.  For people to be truly free we need policy certainty.  The unemployment rate within Gauteng is around 29,6% with around 42% of the population living below the poverty line.

With the overwhelming amount of violent crime meted out on a daily basis, we have become a nation with an ailing psyche.  With no dignity, no opportunity and a low growth rate in our economy we are essentially devoid of leading meaningful lives.

All South Africans should be afforded the opportunity to contribute to the growth of this beautiful country.  Government must provide proper leadership, we must invest in knowledge, education and skills development.

While the ANC May have a notable history as a liberation movement, they have certainly failed to emulate their success as an inclusive government.  One need look no further but at the housing crisis in Gauteng.  Many community members have received RDP houses have not received their title deeds to prove that they are in fact the legal owners of these houses

Instead of having a foot up on the economic ladder, these piece meal offerings are of little substance or use.

21 years have passed since our democratic transition, and the ANC has failed to empower people to achieve the kind of freedom as enshrined in our constitution.

Bureaucratic and cumbersome red tape has stifled economic growth.  It must be easier for small businesses to establish themselves, allowing for broader participation with in the economy.  Entrepreneurs must be able to operate in a regulated framework that protects and promotes their interests.

Addressing these critical factors will enhance the freedom of our people.  Government must create an environment conducive to stimulating growth resulting in much needed job creation in the province, jobs not limited only to the few well connected.   While aggressive steps must be taken to deal with corruption, strong punitive action must be taken against those involved in nefarious activities to safe guard the public purse

The freedom that we celebrate today is a precious gift.  We earn freedom by protecting it, we win our freedom by ensuring that our children have the opportunities to live lives free from poverty and inequality.  Tata Madiba said that “for to be free is not merely the cast of ones chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”  We have the ability to meet this end, but to do so, we must be the sum of our Provinces parts.

I thank you.