Cape Town: Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has commended the department’s team for the work done to realise one of the principles of the Freedom Charter of providing houses, security, and comfort. This comes as the Minister reflects on the progress made in the three months since her appointment, acknowledging both the achievements and the challenges that lie ahead.
According to South African Government News Agency, several key strides have been made by the department, including responding to emergencies such as floods and fires in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Simelane highlighted visits to human settlements projects and a significant meeting held with provincial Members of the Executive Council (MECs) to discuss the five-year Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) and review progress on the implementation of the 2024/2025 priorities and proposed policy changes.
In collaboration with the Department of Social Development, the Ministry has developed the Special Housing Needs Programme Grant designed to support the implementation of the Special Housing Needs Programme (SHNP). This programme aims to provide amenities required in human settlements to assist those who cannot live independently, including persons with disabilities, victims of domestic violence, and the elderly.
The department has also worked to ensure stability within its entities by appointing and inducting new board members to serve in five of the six department’s entities. A White Paper on Human Settlements was approved in December 2024, focusing on developing a policy and legislative framework for Integrated and Sustainable Human Settlements. The framework aims to provide housing, safety, and comfort for all, with an emphasis on vulnerable groups, the poor, and the ‘missing middle’ of society.
Simelane said the period has enabled her to fully understand the challenges faced by the sector. These challenges include budget cuts, poor contract management leading to project abandonment, allegations of fraud and corruption, a trust deficit between the department and its stakeholders, distressed social housing projects, and the need for permanent solutions to the country’s informal settlements.
The Minister addressed the issue of tenants deliberately boycotting rental agreements in social housing projects, stressing that social housing is rental accommodation and tenants are legally obliged to pay rent. ‘Failure to do so will lead to eviction. Do not blame government. Do the honourable thing, pay rent, and enjoy decent and affordable accommodation closer to economic activities and social amenities,’ Simelane said.
To foster beneficial partnerships with the private sector, contractors, and developers, and address issues that have cost the government millions, the Minister announced the launch of the Emerging Developer Incubator and Post Investment Support Programme. The programme, through the National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC), will be launched on 28 March 2025. It aims to provide non-financial support to emerging developers, particularly those historically disadvantaged, assisting them in packaging funding proposals, managing construction phases and post-investments, and marketing completed units.
Simelane further outlined some of the department’s immediate priorities, including completing stalled or blocked projects, addressing the backlog of military veterans’ housing, and prioritising housing for vulnerable groups and the destitute.
Meanwhile, the Minister mentioned receiving the preliminary report of the National Home Builders Regulatory Council (NHBRC) on the building collapse in George, Western Cape, in 2024. The final report is expected soon. Simelane will unpack departmental priorities in the coming months, in line with the 2024-2025 MTDP, explaining how they will contribute to government’s goals of driving inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty, and building a capable, ethical, and developmental State.